Year Two, The Trial of Light
by cypsiman2
Summary: The sequel to Year One, The Trial of Shadows. In this, Judai's second year at Duel Academia, new students arrive and old students emerge from the crowds, and together they will face an insidious foe that they may not even recognize until it is too late.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone, it's been a while! First of all, I've not had as much free time and focus as I would have liked, so this is still a work in progress; as such, I will only be posting one chapter a week until I've got it all worked out, at which point the updates shall assume a more 'brisk' pace, as it were.

And second, as the summary and title suggest, this is loosely based off of season 2 of the anime. "Loosely", being the operative word. For the most part the broad stroke structure of the plot and the characters will remain the same, but the devil is as always in the details. I don't want to spoil things too much, but I will say this; Judai will not be traveling to Hippy-Space to meet with the Hippy-Space Dolphins to learn about his Hippy-Space Destiny and then use his Hippy-Space powers to summon the Hippy-Space Guyver and his friends the Hippy-Space aliens to defeat the Hippy-Space radiation and save the HIppy-Space universe. I just felt that this was important to get out of the way.

But enough of that tired running gag, on to the story!

* * *

A New Year, A New Challenge?

"Hey Bro, it's great to see you again!" Judai waved over to Shou, his best friend, as he walked to the hall where the opening ceremony of the new year would be held.

"Same thing here Shou! Man, I don't know about you, but it was actually pretty boring waiting for the new year to start. I can't wait to see all the new duelists at the ceremony!"

"You know," Asuka said, her smile like a cool spring breeze in Judai's mind, "I heard that there's going to be a special demonstration for this year's ceremony; something that will change Duel Academia as we know it." Judai grinned at Asuka, his...well, his girlfriend. It was still weird to Judai to think of her like that, having been more used to thinking of her as his rival, but after the events of the previous year...

"Man, that sounds great! Maybe it'll be some sort of revision to Joint Dueling that we can participate in."

"From what I hear," said Misawa, "It's supposed to be some new dueling technology to aid in developing the skills of the highest ranking duelists." Momoe then piped in.

"Which means it'll either be you or Asuka that they ask to demonstrate the new device."

"Assuming it even is a device." Manjoume said, a knowing look in his eyes. "The way I understand it is that some new prodigy duelist has shown up, and whoever it is they've dominated duelists with twice the experience."

"Well no matter what it is," Junko said, thrusting her arm out in a dramatic flourish, "With what we all faced last year it'll be a piece of cake!"

Judai and his friends, seven all together counting him, made their way into the hall where the ceremony was being held, and the front row had seven seats reserved just for them. Judai took the center seat and was quickly flanked by Shou and Asuka, with Manjoume and Misawa on Shou's side and Momoe and Junko on Asuka's. He felt Asuka resting her hand on his, the sensation of which he found both cool and warm, rather like Asuka herself.

"Attention, Duelists of Duel Academia." Judai thought he must have missed the arrival of Principal Samejima, though he wasn't sure how he could have done so; very few women could command a room the way she could. She was flanked by Professor Chronos and Professor Hibiki, and behind them stood a shadowy figure; Judai wondered if that might have been the new Osiris Red Professor and Dorm master, though if it was the person seemed rather short. "At this most prestigious institution, we are dedicated to helping all our students reach the highest potential that they are capable of. In the last year, terrible tragedy was averted thanks to the tireless efforts of Judai and his friends, who fought to the last duelist to save us all." A rousing applause echoed behind Judai, which he accepted with grace and dignity along with Asuka and everyone else.

"However!" Professor Chronos barked out, "To believe that newer and greater dangers will never arrive at Duel Academia is foolishness incarnate. Thus, it is imperative that even our best duelists continue to improve themselves as much as possible."

Professor Hibiki nodded at her peer. "Now, would one Judai Yuki please come to the stage for a special demonstration duel to start off the new year?" Judai responded by rushing onto the stage, waving to his friends and all his admirers. Professor Hibiki then took Judai's shoulders and looked down at him. "Now Judai, this opponent will be very different from any you've faced before. Are you ready for whatever you might face?" Judai grinned at Midori.

"Of course! I'm always ready for a duel!" Midori nodded and stepped away, and it seemed to Judai that the lights all around the audience grew dim as the lights of the stage grew brighter. His mystery opponent stepped out of the alcove of shadow, revealing himself to be...Judai!?

"Hey, it's nice to meet you! I hope that our duel will be really exciting!" The other Judai seemed to speak with the same natural cheer that Judai used, but something about it seemed off. But Judai didn't care about that; after all, how often do you get to duel yourself?

"You better believe it will be! I'll start things off by summoning the Summon Priest in defense mode." A crouching old man with long white hair, red eyes, and in a blue robe appeared. "And now I activate his effect; once per turn, I can discard a card from my hand to special summon a level four monster from my deck, but that monster can't attack on this turn. So I discard Rose Bud to special summon Elemental Hero Stratos from my deck and use his effect to add Elemental Hero Ocean to my hand. I set one card to end my turn." Judai grinned, wondering which of his heroes the other him would summon.

"Very interesting, Judai; I can see that even though you didn't win the Kuriboh from Asuka, you kept your enthusiasm and your vision of the deck that Kouyou entrusted to you." Judai grinned to himself at the memory of his last duel from the previous year; he hadn't won, but he hadn't lost either. "Hence, my first summon of this duel, in defense mode, Arcana Force 0 – The Fool." A bizarre, clownish figure with long, almost tentacle like hair appeared; no attack, no defense. And above that creature appeared a card, rotating at a very high speed that Judai tried to keep track of. "Now, you have to decide when the card stops, and this will determine the effect of The Fool. Upright, or reverse. Well Judai, how about it?" Judai had the sense that it would work out better for him to have the card be reversed, but it was spinning so fast that it really was all up to chance for him to get it right.

"Stop!" The Fool stopped, upright.

"And now, in addition to being unable to be destroyed in battle, it is immune to any of your spells, traps, or effects that might target it." An invincible barrier, Judai thought to himself. "But there's more to this then just the effect of the monster;" Judai raised his eyebrows, wondering what the other Judai meant, "You see, the upright Fool represents you, as you have been up to this time; a positive beginning to your journey, spontaneous and without fear. So, you know, I knew that my card would become invincible. But I'm not done yet; Now I play at the opposite ends of my field two Mystical Cards of Light." A pair of pure white cards appeared, flanking the two duelists, and the light shining from them threatened to blind Judai. As his eyes adjusted to the new level of light, he noticed that he couldn't see anyone or anything beyond the stage.

"Hey guys, you still there? Asuka, Shou?" Judai called out into the white void, and their voices spoke in turn.

"You're doing great Bro!"

"Keep at it Judai, you're going to beat this guy in no time!" Judai smiled, then turned to face his opponent.

"And as I would have expected, you never doubted that their voices call out to you. But, back to the duel. So long as I have both Mystical Cards of Light on the field, I can only use one Spell/Trap zone, but I get to draw two cards during my draw phase. So I'll set one card, and end my turn"

Judai grinned as he spoke. "You know, you've got some pretty interesting cards, but if you think that The Fool is invincible, then I'll show you that there's no such thing. First I activate Summon Priest's effect, discarding O-Overcall to special summon Elemental Hero Woodsman to the field. Next I sacrifice Summon Priest and Stratos in order to summon Elemental Hero Sunlight!" As the priest and hero vanished, a new source of light appeared, pale against the light of the Mystical Cards, but somehow...more genuine. "Now I discard King of the Swamp to add Fusion to my hand, and play that to fuse Woodsman and Ocean to summon Elemental Hero Earth!" A resounding crash as the ace hero of Judai's deck appeared on the field. The other Judai lightly applauded Judai.

"Impressive; two powerful monsters in the same turn, and you demonstrated ample skill in getting the cards you needed together. You are everything I could have expected from the one who was able to defeat the darkness." The other Judai then stopped applauding, his voice took on a quiet quality. "But even with that power, you can't defeat The Fool."

"Maybe, but I can still defeat you; see, by discarding an Elmental Hero, in this case Obsidian, from my hand to the grave, Elemental Hero Sunlight can penetrate defense. And for each Elemental Hero in the grave that I remove from play, Sunlight gains four hundred attack until the end of the turn. So by removing Ocean, Woodsman, Stratos, and Obsidian from play, Sunlight goes from twenty-six hundred attack points to forty-two hundred." Judai sighed a little. "Man, I was hoping to see more of your deck, but maybe this way you'll learn not to rely on something being 'invincible'. Elemental Hero Sunlight, attack with Luminous Radiance!" Elemental Hero Sunlight gathered a concentrated ball of light in its hands, and then stopped; the process reversed and the attack never happened.

"Sorry Judai, but it looks like you'll be seeing more of my deck after all; see, my trap card Past Lock negates the attack of all monsters that weren't on the field on the previous turn. So, you'll just have to wait." The other Judai said with a grin. Judai himself mentally apologized to his heroes for having failed their sacrifice as Elemental Hero Sunlight returned to its previous attack power. Still, even if his opponent managed to summon a more powerful monster on his turn, he still had Hero Barrier, and then he'd be able to strike.

"Okay, I'm ready...umm, Judai, I guess." Judai said with a nervous laughter as the other Judai looked evenly at him.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to impress you." Both Mystical Cards of Light pulsed as the other Judai drew two cards. "First I summon Arcana Force I – The Magician." An emaciated figure dressed much like The Fool, but bald and without a mouth. The spinning card appeared once more, and Judai tried to track it and call out at the right moment.

"Stop!" It landed upright.

"This outcome reflects your nature as well, Judai; you see, The Magician represents skill and determination, qualities that you possess in abundance. Frequently The Magician serves as a guide to The Fool, but since you encompass both qualities in yourself, you are your own guide in life and serve as guide to others. That is the second part of my reading."

"Wait, reading?"

"Yes Judai; this is not a regular duel you know. I'm seeing what I can find out about you, to see what effect you will have in the time to come. Now, I play Fate Divination; I designate one face-down spell or trap card on your field, and declare which type it is, and if I'm correct, the card is destroyed and you take one thousand points of damage. Otherwise one of my cards is destroyed and I take one thousand points of damage." An ominous light gathered around Judai's card. "I designate it to be a trap card." A lance of light shattered Hero's Barrier, pounding into Judai for 1000 points of damage. "Further, with The Magician's effect, it's attack power doubles from its original attack power, from eleven hundred to twenty two hundred. Next I play Base Strength, doubling Magician's original attack, which combined with the previous increase becomes forty-four hundred attack points. The Magician, attack Elemental Hero Sunlight." Without the protection of the barrier, there was nothing to stop The Magician from skillfully destroying Elemental Hero Sunlight for another 1800 points of damage. But after the attack was over, The Magician suddenly perished. "The cost of Base Strength, as it so happens, is the destruction of my monster after it battles. Which, of course, leaves me with nothing but The Fool left over. Well Judai, can you overcome this wall of mine?"

"Well, I might not be able to, but for now I don't have to! See, I play H-Heated Heart to give Elemental Hero Earth five hundred attack and the ability to penetrate defense." A palpable aura of heat now surrounded the hero of the Earth. "Elemental Hero Earth, attack The Fool!" Elemental Hero Earth punched The Fool in the face, the force of the blow washing over the other Judai for 3000 points of damage. "That's all for me."

The Mystical Cards of Light pulsed again as the other Judai drew two more cards. "Now, for the final stage of the reading; first, I play Reverse Reborn to special summon The Magician in reversed position back from the grave. And don't worry, this change in the position of The Magician has no bearing on your reading. But this will; I now sacrifice The Fool and The Magician to summon Arcana Force XXI – The World!" An advanced being, coated in black metal that never-the-less reflected the light brilliantly, its claws sharp with 3100 attack points. As with the previous Arcana Force monsters, a card appeared above this one, rotating. Judai had to chance it, had to hope that that upright effect wouldn't go through.

"Stop!" It landed in reverse. The other Judai's eyes were wide with shock before narrowing again, a leering smile on his face.

"As I had suspected, but now it is confirmed; Judai, in the upright position The World represents the completion of The Fools journey, the joy of wholehearted success. But in reverse..."

"Yeah, in reverse?" Judai couldn't help it, he wanted to hear what the other him had to say; he'd never thought about his future quite like this before.

"It signifies stagnation. In your future you will encounter some manner of delay that will prevent you from reaching the world that you are meant for. The World, destroy The Earth." The sharp claws of The World tore through Elemental Hero Earth, leaving Judai with only 600 life points. "And now my turn ends."

As Judai drew his next card, The World emitted a beam of light at Judai's graveyard, causing each card to rise up and display themselves before him. "Woah, what's going on?"

"That is the reversed effect of The World; during your draw phase, you are permitted to add one card from your grave to your hand."

"All right then, I'll add King of the Swamp back to my hand, and then I play Gift of the Weak, removing King of the Swamp from play to draw two cards." Judai looked at his new hand, and smiled. "The World's pretty impressive, but it's going down, and so are you! I now play Parallel World Fusion, using King of the Swamp as Elemental Hero Knopse and Woodsman that I've removed from play to summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" Gaia's stone fist shattered the ground, and not even The World was beyond the reach of Gaia's power, as half of the targeted monster's attack was drained and added to Gaia. "Gaia! Attack!" With his left fist Elemental Hero Gaia Shattered The World for more then enough damage to finish off his opponent.

"Very impressive Judai, but consider what the outcome of this duel means; you were only able to win because you drew upon the dead old world to defy the flawed vision that you would have brought about. Had you been faced with the true World, The World that you are fated to be part of, you would have lost." The light grew brighter and brighter, and before long Judai couldn't even see his opponent, or even himself. But he could still hear, still speak.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean, a flawed vision? I don't get it!" There was now something to the voice of the other Judai, something that was distinctly not-Judai.

"Impatience is one of the other meanings of the reversed The World; I have learned and divulged much on this day, but now is not the time to reveal everything. Take the time to mull over what you have learned first, digest this knowledge, and then ask. Until then." Then, suddenly, everything turned pitch black, and Judai heard Shou's voice calling out to him.

"Bro, you've got to wake up! The ceremony's starting in twenty minutes!" Judai sat up in bed, and looked over at his clock; it was in fact twenty minutes before the start of the ceremony.

"Whoa, thanks Shou, I don't know what I'd do without you man!" As Judai got dressed and brushed his teeth, he wondered how in the world he'd come up with such a weird, detailed dream like that, and where on earth he could have come up with those cards the other him was using. Well, he could talk it over with everyone else later, right now it was time for him to get to the real ceremony and meet the new students arriving during his second year at Duel Academia!


	2. Chapter 2

Royal Strength of the Prince, Edo Phoenix!

"Welcome everyone, to the new year of Duel Academia!" Prinicpal Samejima's announcement was met with light applause before she resumed speaking. "The previous year saw a terrible danger descend upon us, but it is with great pride that I am able to say that the students of this prestigious institution were up to the task! In particular, at the forefront of the defense of all of us, were two students who together exceeded all expectations, who were able to combine their strengths to surpass even an invincible foe. Judai Yuki, Asuka Tenjouin, please come on to the stage!" Judai and Asuka stood up and waved to everyone as the made their way onto the stage, the cheering of their friends far louder and more enthusastic then those of the other members of the audience. As the two duelists looked around, taking in the sight of everyone in Duel Academia, they each noted those faces that were not there; for Judai, he felt happy for Hayako, having successfully earned an internship at Industrial Illusions, but one glance at Shou reminded him that no one knew where Ryoko, the once famous Kaiser of Duel Academia, was.

Asuka, meanwhile, was melancholy over the graduation of her brother; on the one hand it had been irritating to see just how many desperate fangirls he had at the graduation ceremony, including one Nurse Emi Ayukawa who really should have known better at her age, but at the same time Asuka was so used to that sort of thing that the absence of her easy going brother was actually quite strange for her. And then there was Daitokuji, once Professor until he was revealed to be a sociopathic monster. Since he had been the one responsible for the tortures inflicted on her brother, she could only hope that he was still held somewhere in the bowels of Kaiba Corp, where whatever appeals he might make would be forever denied.

The two duelists then looked at each other, and together were able to forget the pains and losses of the previous year; neither had expected to make the connection that they had with each other, but they were both sincerely glad that they had. No matter what, they would always have each other's back, and more besides. Judai and Asuka nodded, and the Osiris Red hero spoke to the crowd.

"It's good to see everyone again! For everyone who was here the last year, I hope that you've all polished your decks and improved your skills, and for the new students this year, I hope Asuka and I get the chance to see what you're capable of!" A resounding applause, and then Asuka spoke.

"While it might look on the surface like an Osiris Red could never defeat an Obelisk Blue, and that a Ra Yellow might be overshadowed, the truth is that your dorm assignment is secondary to your real skills and abilities! Anyone who's already made it to Duel Academia deserves to feel the pride of being among the best and brightest of the new generation!" An even more resounding applause, and now Professor Chronos stepped forward to speak.

"Very well spoken, and with regards to our new students, we have two outstanding new pupils of considerable note; first, I would like to call to the stage the youngest ever applicant to Duel Academia, Rei Saotome!" A girl walked up to the stage, flanked by her parents; the girl looked to be about twelve years old, and had a smile that men had been conditioned by years of culture and advertising to find most enchanting. Once the girl was on the stage, she started waving at everyone with both arms.

"Thank you everyone for the wonderful welcome! I'll try my best to live up to all of your expectations, and I hope that I can count on all your help to make that happen!" The response of the boys in the audience was particularly enthusiastic, though this is not to say that the girls did not applause.

"Now then," Rei's mother said, her voice light and airy, "there are just a couple of ground rules that Makoto and I would like to lay down; first of all, no one is to underestimate Rei; she may not be a national level champion, but trust me when I say to not be surprised if she has to pull your bacon out of the fire."

"And in addition to what Kanon said,", Makoto said, his voice deep and booming, "I would strictly advise against any funny business with Rei; she will not put up with anything of the sort, and neither will we!" Judai noticed two things in the wake of Rei's parents' announcements; first was the silence that had claimed much of the audience, and the second was the quick look that Rei gave him, the kind of look that he was fairly certain was inappropriate for a twelve year old girl to give to anyone! Rei then stepped forward and play-acted shoving her parents off the stage.

"Okay you guys, I know you mean well but you're going to scare everyone off! Relax and let me have some fun!" Rei's parents smiled, nodded, patted her on the head, and departed.

"Well," Professor Midori said, an open grin on her face, "if you all think that that was something, then I believe it is time to introduce our other special student. Some of you may have heard of the youngest member of the Asian division of the Pro Dueling League, and so here today is none other then Edo Phoenix himself!"

The cries and cheers of Edo Phoenix's fangirls were deafening, but from the composure on his face it seemed that he was used to this sort of thing. As he made his way up to the stage, he was flanked by what seemed to be his own parents, and coming up from behind them in a tailored business suit was...

"Hayako!" Shou and everyone else shouted out in surprise at the sight of their old friend, and she in turn grabbed each of them, embraced them in big hugs. "What are you doing here? Not that we're not glad to see you, I mean." Hayako smiled.

"That's okay to ask. Mr. and Mrs. Phoenix have been real nice to me and wanted to know it I would come with them when they took their son to Duel Academia, so I said yes!"

"Well that's great! After the ceremony's over, tell us all you can before you take off again!" Hayako took the seat that Asuka was in previously and looked up to the stage; Mr. and Mrs. Phoenix stood back as their son basked in the glow of his admirers. Edo himself took a quick appraising glance at Asuka, which Asuka quickly realized was rather like the look that Judai gave her when they first met. Edo then turned back to the audience.

"Thank you everyone, I just have a few things that I would like to say; while no doubt many of you are familiar with my dueling record, I would not want to have anyone believe that I achieved my position on my own. First, I would like to draw attention to my parents, who created for me the deck that I use to this day." A light applause as the Phoenix elders waved politely. "But even with that potential that they gave to me, it would have been for nothing if not for the guidance of a singular man. Therefore, I would like to introduce to everyone my manager, Takuma Saiou!"

As Saiou made his way to the stage, a wave of wondering spread across the crowd; a wondering of just how anyone could have failed to notice such a man. Beyond even his appearance, his wild blue hair and the unusual head piece that he wore which looked much like a tuft of silver hair resting against his actual hair, he had a charisma, an aura, that political leaders the world over sought to cultivate. Rarely was this charisma quite so well cultivated as it was in this man. Once upon the stage, he amiably smiled and spoke in a strikingly smooth tone.

"Edo is quite right to remember where he has come from, and to acknowledge those who have helped him become the bright young man that he is. And as I look upon you all, I see in you the same potential that I saw in Edo, and in learning of the noble purpose of this institution, to face the darkness of the heart within ourselves and within our friends and enemies, I am left in awe. As such, when Principal Samejima requested that I enter and serve as the new Osiris Red professor and caretaker, I had no option but to accept. My only hope and desire is to see everyone fulfill the brilliant and shining fate that I can see lies before you all." The audience was left in awed silence; even Principle Samejima and the Professors were left staring at this man, and only the Phoenix's seemed unaffected, possibly from being accustomed to Saiou's voice and intonation. Mr. Edo clasped Saiou's shoulder, who returned the gesture with a familiar smile. "I now believe that Terayoka would like to say something."

"Indeed." Mr. Phoenix then turned to Judai. "I and my wife, Yaoya, have heard much about you Judai, and of the deck that you inhereted from Kouyou Hibiki."

"We would therefore," Mrs. Phoenix said, her voice bearing a sing-song quality to it, "like you and Edo to duel, so that we can see for ourselves how well our life's work can stand against the deck that saved Duel Academia and won three world championships." Judai looked over at Edo, and saw the challenging look in the almost-aristocratic boy's eyes.

"Well, of course I'll duel him!" In light of this declaration, everyone but Judai and Edo left the stage.

"Forgive me for saying this Judai, but while I do look forward to this duel, were it up to me I'd be dueling Tomorrow Girl right now." Judai's eyes grew wide, as did Asuka's and the rest of his friends.

"Huh, blunt and to the point. Well, if you plan on facing Asuka then you're going to have to defeat me first; I can say with pride that our records are evenly matched, so if you can't beat me, then you can forget ever beating her." Asuka smiled warmly, an action that both duelists noticed.

"Then I'll have to do just that. Fortunately though, I do know that I'll win this duel." Edo armed his duel disc and drew his hand. "I start by discarding Devoted Faithful One to special summon The Tricky!" A magician dressed in a jesters outfit, its face covered by question mask and armed with 2000 attack points. Then, quite suddenly, a man and a woman appeared at the magician's side, each one strongly resembling the elder Phoenix's. "When Devoted Faithful one is sent to the grave, I can special summon two Devoted tokens, though I can't sacrifice them for a sacrifice summon on the turn that they are summoned. Did I lose you Judai?"

"Um...no, I'm good." Judai didn't know quite what to make of that last question; did Edo think he was too dumb to follow that explanation?

"Very good. I now sacrifice The Tricky to summon the first of my cards, the royal power that I am heir to, Kuraz the Light Monarch!" A shining figure in golden armor, an arc built into its back, and 2400 attack points; this was Kuraz the Light Monarch. Kuraz then stuck his arms out, taking hold of each of the Devoted tokens and consuming them in light. "When Kuraz is summoned to the field, I can destroy two cards, and the controller of those cards can draw one for each card so destroyed. Now I play the field spell card, Royal Hall." The decor of the stage changed, becoming like something out of a Roman history text book. And behind Edo were pillars where there should have been statues standing upon them, seven in all. "Now I'll set two cards to end my turn." Judai let loose a high whistle of appreciation.

"Man, so this is what dueling a Pro is like, huh?" As Judai admired the prowess that Edo demonstrated, Manjoume smiled inwardly; after all, he'd already faced a member of the Underground League, and she knew a thing or two about pacing herself, something that Edo seemed to lack. "Well, I better show you what I'm capable of; First I summon Elemental Hero Heat, and then I play Fusion, sending Ocean and Ice Edge to the grave to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" Both heroes stood together, and quite suddenly both were surrounded in a blue aura, and Kuraz stood before them, his imperial presence commanding them without words.

"To bring great numbers against the Monarch is folly;" Edo said with a cocky smile, "I activate my trap card Blue on Blue; if I have a Monarch on my field, during your battle phase you must have one of your monsters attack the other." Heat and Absolute Zero looked at each other, opposition clear in their eyes. Heat threw the first blow, and even with the strength that he drew from his companion he was felled in short order, and Judai took the blow, 500 points of damage.

"That's okay, cause I can still attack you with my other hero, and I think he'd like to avenge his friend." Absolute Zero struck decisively, and as Kuraz collapsed in on himself, a statue of him appeared on the leftmost pillar behind Edo.

"The first counter for Royal Hall has been collected, and the memory of the fallen Monarch will be preserved and will in time empower me to victory." Edo then dipped his head in rememberence. "And now I activate Stray Goat, special summoning two Lamb tokens in defense mode; I can perform no other summons on this turn, but I have no need to; from the future perspective, this past summon will be sufficient."

A small smile was now on Judai's face. "Royal authority and the past, that's the theme of your deck, huh? I guess I can see why your parents designed that kind of deck for you, but you can't hold onto the past forever; if you want to win, you have to embrace the future! I set two cards to end my turn."

"Indeed, I can see your point, Judai." Edo nodded. "It's why I wished that I could face Tomorrow Girl in your place; to see that confrontation between the past and the future for myself. I now sacrifice one Lamb token to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!" A chilling wind swept the field as the lamb gave his life for the frozen king, his puple cape swept in the wind. A pair of frozen spikes appeared at his command, targeting Judai's traps, Swamp of the Fallen and Soul Union. At the same time though, the cold presence of Mobius empowered Absolute Zero. "So the frozen hero draws strength from the frozen king; an interesting metaphor, if all that I've heard about you and Asuka is true. I set one card to end my turn." Judai looked upon Edo confusedly, and briefly exchanged looks with Asuka; he gained no enlightenment from this, but rather, confidence.

"Well, I can't say whether what you've heard about us is true or not, I don't know what they say. But I do know that Asuka and I have helped each other reach our futures, so it doesn't matter what is or isn't said. I summon Elemental Hero Knopse, and since I have another Elemental Hero on the field, she can attack you directly!"

"As I've already told you Judai, you must face the Monarch with your greatest hero or not at all; I now activate my trap card, Command of the king!" As Elemental Hero Knopse made her way past Mobius, he stepped before her and ordered her through his imperial gaze; Knopse aquiesced, and attacked Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, and was in turn frozen, shattered, destroyed for 2400 points of damage.

"If it's my greatest you want, then that's what you'll get!" Absolute Zero struck once more, smashing the frozen king for 600 points of damage, but with the new statue behind Edo, it seemed as though no loss had truly occurred. "Well, that's all I can do this turn. Your move Edo."

"Thank you Judai, I think you will like this one; I summon the Giant Germ in defense mode." A writhing, disgusting giant single celled organism, the very living manifestation of disease itself. "Now, lets see how well you can overcome this wall with only the memories of my Monarchs to stop you."

"Well, I don't know if I can, but I'm willing to give you a hand to find out; I play Spellbook inside the Pot, allowing each of us to draw three cards, and with my new hand I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat, and then I play O-Overcall to bring back Elemental Hero Ocean from the grave. Elemental Hero Lady Heat, attack Giant Germ!" The fire quickly consumed the Giant Germ, but the noxious fumes quickly washed over Judai, dealing 500 points of damage to him as two more Giant Germs were special summoned to the field in attack mode. Judai quickly realized that there was no way for him to clear Edo's field and keep him from summoning another Monarch. But that was okay; he wanted to see what else Edo could do. "Absolute Zero, attack Giant Germ! Ocean, destroy the Lamb!" As the Elemental Hero of ice struck, more fumes washed over Judai, bringing him to the very edge of victory and defeat. "Now I set one card to end my turn." Lady Heat then gathered the energy of her companions and fired at Edo, past his one remaining defender.

"That's quite the risk you just took there Judai." Edo said, brushing away at where the fire had struck his suit, a concession to the appearance of what had just transpired.

"Not really, because now I activate my trap card, Elemental Recharge, recovering one thousand life points for each Elemental Hero on the field." A pillar of energy rushed up and through Judai, rejuvinating him.

"You know, you're smarter then you look; can take a risk, but know how to cover yourself anyway. Still, while you saved yourself this turn I can still defastate your offensive. First, I play Soul Exchange, sacrificing your Elemental Hero Absolute Zero to summon Caius the Shadow Monarch!" As Absolute Zero vanished, he tossed off one last lance of ice to destroy Giant Germ, which thankfully contained the toxin. However, the sinister black armored, black caped figure made that minor loss look very minor indeed. "When summoned, Caius can remove from play one card on the field, and if that card were a dark monster, you take 1000 damage. Now, since you recovered enough to make a kill on this turn impossible, I'll instead remove Elemental Hero Lady Heat from play." Encased in a sphere of shadow, Lady Heat vanished from this earth. "Now, since I played Soul Exchange on this turn, I can't attack. Your move, Judai."

Judai was afraid of this; so long as he had Absolute Zero on the field he could keep the offensive going, but now that that was gone, he had to hold Edo off until he could get back on his feet. "All right, first thing I do is return Elemental Hero Knopse to my hand with Elemental Hero Ocean's effect, and then I sacrifice Ocean to summon Elemental Hero Obsidian." Judai was taking a chance with this, he recognized that; Elemental Hero Ice Edge would have been the safer option, but then he wouldn't be able to bring Knopse out on the next turn, and he needed that offensive to win. "That's it for me."

"Oh, defense equal to my offense; I heard that this was the way your duel with Tomorrow Girl at the Whim of Fate tournament last year went. Equal exchanges of power, blows being traded on every turn. I wish I had been there to see it for myself; the video recordings couldn't possibly do it justice."

"Video recordings?"

"Oh yeah, everyone in the Pro Dueling league keeps their eye on Duel Academia, to see who the new competition to worry about will be. We were all pretty surprised when Kaiser Ryoko disappeared; she was someone a lot of us wanted the chance to face; win or lose, dueling against the Kaiser would definitely advance many of us closer to our fate."

"Fate?" Something about that word nagged at Judai, but he couldn't say what it was.

"Oh, I'm digressing. I should keep the pace up to make sure everyone can enjoy the duel, including the both of us. I now sacrifice Caius the Shadow Monarch to summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!" As the black armored figure was reproduced in statue form on the third pillar, a figure in glowing white armor appeared. Arcing bolts of lighting danced between his hands, and they leaped onto Obsidian, frying her from the inside out. "Unfortunately, it would seem that your champion wasn't up to Zaborg's standard. Zaborg, attack directly!" With both arms stretched out, Zaborg struck with the same sort of lightning that claimed Obsidian, shocking Judai for 2400 points of damage. "The fourth king of old has struck, and you can still stand; most of my opponents don't last this long Judai."

"Is that so? Well, I'm glad I've managed that much, but I plan to do much more then that. I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode, and end my turn." As the little monster appeared before Judai, it winked to him before facing Edo.

"Ah, the infamous Winged Kuriboh. I was wondering when he would show up. He was, after all, the card that was able to stop Tomorrow Girl's offensive at the start of your duel then, which allowed you to, well, not win, but to show that you were on equal standing with her. Well, I can't defeat you this turn, but I can still wound you. I discard Granmarg the Rock Monarch to special summon another The Tricky." A statue of a squat heavy figure with large fists appeared behind Edo. "Now I sacrifice The Tricky to summon Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch." A figure in sleek, red tinted armor appeared, and a rush of fire consumed Elemental Hero Knopse in Judai's hand. "His effect allows me to randomly discard one card from your hand, and if that card is a monster, you take one hundred damage for each level of that monster." Three little fireballs impacted Judai, bringing him down to 400 life points. A huge rush of fire then claimed Winged Kuriboh, but the lightning of Zaborg could find no purchase against the barrier left behind. "Well Judai, I'd like to say that you have one turn left, but the truth is is that you don't; you've already lost."

"Don't speak so soon Edo; you may think that you've seen what I'm capable of, but I'm always developing a new trick or two. I now play Gift of the Fallen Hero, sending Elemental Hero Stratos and Lady Heat from my deck to the grave to draw two cards. Now I summon Elemental Hero Voltic, and play Miracle Fusion, removing Stratos, Voltic, and Heat to summon my latest hero, Elemental Hero Storm!" A twisting current of wind and rain heralded the arrival of this new hero, dressed in sleek red armor with electric currents running through it, giving it 3000 attack points. "Elemental Hero Storm can attack twice per turn, and the monsters it destroys are removed from play. Sorry Edo, but it looks like I win. Storm, attack the Monarchs; New Lightning Burst!" Fiery rushes of electricity rammed into the two Monarchs, but while they were consumed utterly, Edo was left untouched.

"When the Royal Hall has four Monarch Counters on it, I can take no damage while it is on the field. Now, it's my turn, to show that the royal power, the power of old and of memory, will always triumph; first, I remove one Monarch Counter to add Raiza the Storm Monarch to my hand, and then I remove two more to summon Raiza from my hand without tribute." A figure in leaf green armor, its cape billowing in the wind. "And with Raiza's effect, I return Storm to the deck." A tornado rushed up from beneath Storm, returning him from whence he came. Shredding blades of wind then rammed into Judai, bringing his life points to zero.

"Wow, that's really something Edo!" As Judai got back up, he found himself remembering that weird dream he had, and wondered why. "Looks like I still have a way to go before I'm ready for the pros." Edo smiled, a hard edge to his face.

"You might think it immodest of me to say, but I'm actually near the top of the Pro league. And besides, Saiou approved of this duel for me, and when he does, I win. It's one of the secrets to my success."

"Is that so?" Judai said, looking over at Edo's manager, wondering what it was about the strange man that made Edo so confident about his choices. "Well, in any event, this new year will be one to remember!" And with that, the opening ceremony was brought to a close, and everyone returned to their dorms, looking forward to what laid before them.


	3. Chapter 3

New in Red, New in Blue...Old in Yellow?

"Welcome everyone, I am Takuma Saiou, your new professor and head of the Osiris Red dorm. Now, I would like to begin the lesson by asking a simple question; what has to exist, in order for there to be a shadow?" Everyone looked at each other confusedly, trying to figure out what trick there was to Professor Saiou's question. Finally, Misawa decided that there was no trick and was about to give the answer, but was beaten to the punch.

"A source of light, Professor Saiou." A Ra Yellow boy with pale blue hair said. For a moment Misawa wondered whether he'd just arrived, but realized that while he'd been practically invisible, the boy had been there all along. What was his name...

"Yes, very good Mister...Todo?" Professor Saiou looked down at his attendance sheet and then at the Ra Yellow in question. "Momijii Todo?" Despite the gaze that Saiou was subjecting Momijii to, he showed no emotional response.

"Yes, Professor Saiou? Is something the matter?" Saiou shook his head in response, and smiled.

"No; for a moment I'd thought that you were someone I'd once met when I was young, but that clearly is not the case. Now, returning to the subject of my lecture, the light. When I learned of the events that had taken place here, on this very island just last year, my heart reached out to everyone, everyone who'd been made a victim of the shadows and of the darkness. The shadow that Daitokuji had grown through his monstrous experiments acted as a veil to seperate everyone from the light, and yet it could not deny the light; the shadow can't, as has already been established, exist without the light, and even when it didn't seem like it the light of the human heart demonstrated the limits of the shadow's power. This was most literal in the instance of Junko Makita's duel against the Mirage of Deceit, but the light exists in more then just the overt form; whenever the shadow was overcome, the light that gave it form grew and overwhelmed it, expelling it and purifying the victim. Thus, while Daitokuji focused his curriculum on the darkness, I will focus mine on the light."

Professor Saiou then pressed a button on his desk, and the wall behind him displayed an unusual looking diagram; a huge series of equations with arrows connecting one to another in a seemingly chaotic fashion.

"For today," Professor Saiou said, "I will wait for the first student to analyze and understand the significance of these equations before resuming my lecture. And do note that the longer it takes for you to solve the problem, the longer the lecture will be, and I do have permission from Principal Samejima to keep you all after class until my lesson plan for the day has been completed."

With that, everyone tried to solve Saiou's mystery problem; even Judai, who although knew that he would never be able to figure it out, tried anyway. Asuka and Manjoume worked together, as did Junko and Momoe, but Misawa worked alone; he'd found that trying to explain his thinking in this area never really quite worked, and so he focused on solving the problem, demonstrating his work at every step of the way so that anyone who wanted to would be able to examine that without being able to accuse him of being condescending about it. Not that that happened often, but Misawa had on occasion studied with students who seemed both impatient and thin-skinned, a combination that would not serve them well in the future.

"I'm done." What?! Misawa was a good three steps away from completing his work; who could possibly have...it was that Todo kid again. "May I come up and explain?" Professor Saiou nodded and stepped aside, making it visually clear who would have the stage for the time being. "The earliest equation in the sequence, the one on the right and top, is the Lorentz Force Law, which ties into the next four, which are Maxwell's four partial differential equations which establish that light is an electromagnetic wave. Then there's the middle equation, E equals MC squared, which uses the speed of light itself as a fundamental constant of the universe that does not change with perspective. Now that one leads to Planck's equation, which uses light's particle nature to resolve certain paradoxes observed by nineteenth century physicists. The remaining equations, however, are different; they are social projections and psychological theories, many of which have been found wanting or even lacking in their ability to account for or predict human behavior. I believe that the meaning of putting these equations onto the board was to establish a connection between our understanding of the physical light and the spiritual light. Am I correct, Professor Saiou?" He said this, having finished expanding each equation and demonstrating each step along the way, all without any real inflection at all.

"Right in every detail, young mister Todo." Professor Saiou said, practically beaming. Misawa went over everything he said, and found that there was actually one point in his own reasoning where he'd been in error! He was glad to have discovered this now, when no one would realize that any mistake on his part had been made, but still...

"Thank you Professor Saiou." Momijii Todo then made his way back to his seat, seemingly oblivious to the admiring looks of several of his peers, and Misawa watched him, trying to discern what he could about him, why he'd seemed ivisible all last year and why he'd suddenly emerged in such 'brilliance', as it were, in Professor Takuma Saiou's class.

"Don't worry Misawa, one day isn't going to change anything." Momoe whispered to him; evidently he'd not concealed his emotions as well as he'd hoped.

"Yeah, but don't get complacent either Misawa." Junko said with a wry smile. Misawa resolved that hr would find out what there was to know about this Momijii Todo.

* * *

"Hey Judai! I found this perfect spot to do some rock climbing; you want to work up a sweat before dinner?" Judai and Shou had just been about to enter the Osiris Red dorm when they heard Rei Saotome behind them, and from the look of her she'd already managed to build up a small sweat herself. Shou noticed the way Rei looked at Judai's chest, how her eyes lingered where the sweat was going to build up first, but Judai responded before he could.

"That sounds like fun Rei! Hey Shou, you want to join us? It'd make a great change of pace after Professor Saiou's lecture today."

Shou did want to go with Judai; he was worried that his bro didn't seem to notice the full extent of Rei's interest in him, but going rock-climbing...no, the old him would have been afraid, but he'd changed!

"Sure thing bro!" For a moment Shou could have sworn that Rei glowered at this, but the smile on her face denied any such thing.

"Wow Shou, you must be braver then you look! I can't wait to see how high up you manage to get."

Rei led the two Osiris Red boys to the spot where, as it turned out, the campus rock climbing club met. The 'rock' in question was a side of the volcano that had been paved down and had portions carved out and added onto it, and the whole thing topped out at about 15 meters, where a plateau was set up. Rei then rushed over to a stockpile of ropes, grabbed one, and wrapped it around her waist with about 20 meters left over. "See, you have to tie off every couple of meters so that you don't fall and land on your head. Here, let me show you what I mean!" Rei then made her way up what was already a clearly familiar path and tied the rope off at two and a half meters. She looked down at Judai, already breathing hard from this exertion. "Doesn't this look fun Judai!"

"You bet! This'll be great endurance training!" Judai then grabbed a rope and tied it in the same fashion that Rei had done, which actually took him a couple of tries to get right. The actual climbing itself was straightforward and once he'd caught up with Rei the two began to race their way up.

Shou then tried to make his way over to the ropes, but he found that his steps faltered; he could take risks, he could push himself past what he used to think he was capable of, but reflecting on it, he could do that when something important was on the line. And faced with the crucible of a barely tamed rock face, Shou had to admit that his suspicions and concerns about Rei weren't enough to motivate him against potentially debilitating injury.

"Come on Shou, it's easier then it looks!" Those words bolstered Shou, but even though he knew that it would ultimately be far more exhausting and take even longer because of that, he could not make himself climb quickly. As such, he was only a quarter of the way up by the time Judai and Rei had finished the climb and were drinking from bottles of water that were at their destination.

"So Judai, I want to ask you something." Judai looked over at Rei, noticing the cheerful smile on her face. "I mean, I like that you're in Osiris Red, sticking up for the little guy and all that," she said with her eyes momentarily glancing over at Shou, "But wouldn't you rather be in the Obelisk Blue dorm?"

"Huh?" Judai hadn't really expected that question, and looking at Rei he could see that repeating what he said at the opening ceremony the other day would not satisfy Rei. He recalled Principal Samejima's offer to him at the end of the previous year to promote him straight to Obelisk Blue, which was unprecedented in Duel Academia's brief history, and how his initial response then was that red was and would remain his favorite color. He doubted that this answer would work with Rei either. "Well, Shou's my best friend, so I want to stick where I can help him out."

"But what about Asuka? I mean, I know that if I had a boyfriend and if he turned down an opportunity to be closer to me, I'd be pretty upset with him." There was something about what Rei said, something about her use of the word 'opportunity', that summoned to Judai's mind the memory of the dream he had the other day. Wanting to not dwell on that, he shook his head.

"Asuka and I are happy with things like this; we know where to find each other when we need each other, and that's what we want. But Rei, why don't you tell me about you? You are the youngest student to have been admitted to Duel Academia, so you must have a lot of crazy dueling stories to share." Rei leaned back with her hands behind her head against the ground.

"You'd think so, but not really. Though I suppose there is my cousin; he would duel me in his spare time, and I kicked his butt every time. Usually boys wouldn't duel me more then once, and there weren't many girls in my neighborhood who were into dueling, so I always appreciated him for sticking it out with me. Of course, last year I found out that he wasn't using his real deck against me, so I threw a fit and demanded that he use his real deck against me. He kicked my butt inside of five turns, and the four rematches didn't change anything. So I told him that I was going to get into Duel Academia and get strong enough to beat him for real. He laughed, pointing out that I wouldn't be able to apply for four years and then he said that by then he wouldn't be dueling anymore. So I yelled at him, telling him that I would get in to Duel Academia inside a year so that I could face him before he quit for good. Huh, I guess I did have a crazy story after all, huh Judai?"

"You know, that kind of reminds me of how things were with me and Kouyou. What was your cousin's name, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all. Tarou Araide. My only real regret about applying when I did was that he was out and about somewhere and I haven't heard from him recently. Still, I know that by the time I graduate I'll be ready to face him for real. But that's a long way from now; let's talk about us, Judai."

"Us?" Judai didn't watch soap operas, but he had an uncomfortable inkling about what Rei meant by that.

"Yes, you're the best duelist on this whole island, so I really want your help to get the most out of my time here."

"Oh, that. But, Asuka and Edo are both better duelists then me. Heck, you got to see Edo beat my new hero without ever breaking a sweat."

"Yeah, but that was just a showing off duel; when Edo can save hundreds of peoples lives, then I'll go to him for help. Trust me Judai, both Asuka and I know that you're the real hero in this picture."

"That's right!" Shou yelled out, having just crested the rock face and flopped onto the ground. "So just...make sure..." Shou stopped to regain his breath in between blowing on his hands to cool them down.

"Wow Shou, you made it all the way up!" Rei then offered him a bottle of water. "That's pretty good for a first timer; we'll have to do this again some time." As Shou downed the water, he swore to himself that next time he would walk the long way around, like a normal person.

Judai then noticed Winged Kuriboh floating over Rei in a rather protective fashion, and he understood what that meant; what he wished he knew was why.

* * *

"I trust that you found Saiou's lecture today quite interesting, Asuka Tenjouin." Asuka, Edo, and Manjoume were in the Obelisk Blue dorm, and she looked at Edo; he was still getting used to the Obelisk Blue uniform, but it seemed that he accepted that he would not be allowed to wear his silver-grey suit at Duel Academia.

"I'll admit, Edo, that Professor Saiou did have some interesting things to say. But his zeal about the light reminded me a bit too much of Daitokuji's lectures on the darkness; true, Daitokuji was in truth a sociopathic monster and if you're any measure to go by Professor Saiou is a good person through and through, but still..."

"If I'm any measure to go by?" Edo smiled cooly at that. "That's a very kind and insightful thing to say. Saiou told me that coming here would be an important step in my destiny, and hearing that from you affirms what I already knew." He bowed ever so slightly before Asuka, and she narrowed her eyes in response. Manjoume himself grabbed Edo's shoulder.

"You might want to tone it down a little, Edo; even if Asuka were not attached, that would never work with her." Edo smugly looked over at Manjoume as Asuka removed his hand from Edo's shoulder.

"Your assistance is appreciated Manjoume, but you don't have to be a watchdog for me just because my brother isn't here now. And besides, Edo is pretty harmless anyway." Manjoume nodded, and departed, satisfied that he had done as Fubuki had asked of him.

"Harmless?!" Edo's eyes grew wide at that. "Now why would you say something like that? I am, after all, one of the highest ranking members of the Pro Duelist League, and I did defeat Judai quite easily, something which he conceded to quite readily. Surely I could be a threat if the thought so took me?" Asuka laughed lightly and for a moment looked off to the side.

"Well Edo, let's just say a little friend of mine isn't worried of you at all, so even though you've been swaggering quite a bit, I don't doubt at all that you're a good person at heart."

"A little friend...you mean the spirit of Kuriboh?" Edo, for the first time, began to look wary. "I couldn't even tell that you'd summoned it." At the same time, he was clearly impressed.

"On this occasion, I didn't. Sometimes Kuriboh just comes out on its own and tells me things. Of course, I make sure that Kuriboh doesn't try to steal test answers for me."

"And what about the cards in another duelist's hand?" He said with a slight smirk.

"Kuriboh is a duel spirit; he couldn't do that even if I wanted him to." She responded with a smirk of her own.

"Is that so? That's good to hear, since when it does come time for us to duel, we can face each other without holding back."

"That is so. And remember, Edo, that when the time comes I will redress the grievance you've given to Judai's name; you dueled hard, but it was obvious that your head wasn't in that game. So don't mind if I show you that that sort of thing has consequences, at least with me. Now then, I need to get to my homework, but I'll be seeing you tomorrow I trust?"

"Of course, Tomorrow Girl." Asuka rolled her eyes slightly at Edo's nickname for her and left for her room. "I only hope that at that time that I can impress upon you how our destiny's will inevitibly entwine together, allowing us to bring about the furture that Saiou foresaw for us." He said to himself, recalling his friend's prediction before returning to his own room.


	4. Chapter 4

Judgment of the Midnight Sun

"Hey Asuka!" Judai said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "That duel you had with that guy was really impressive; winning even after he cleared your field and dropped you down to five hundred life points. You made a great use of Underground Lake, and that Divine Angel Ritual was something else!" Asuka smiled, and wrapped her arm around his shoulder; it was a highly pleasant sensation that made everything seem that much brighter, even though the rain pounded the ground with great force. As the two approached the outside, Asuka produced an umbrella, and as she unfolded it she noted the appropriateness of this; she couldn't even begin to count the number of stories that used this sort of presentation to signify 'lovers'.

'Lovers', of course, was far too strong; they hadn't even kissed again since the final duel with The Rebirth last year, but this was something that the both of them were okay with. Walking together in the rain, standing at the spot where so many important duels in their lives had taken place, that was what they wanted. It was what Asuka wanted.

"Hey Judai, when should we duel again?" Asuka said, smiling. "What occasion would be special enough for that?"

"I don't know, Asuka. But whatever fate has in store for us, I'm certain that it will give us the perfect opportunity to have a great duel."

"Yes, I'm entirely certain it will, Judai." They stood in the copse, watching the rain fall. Suddenly, Asuka could no longer feel the warmth of Judai's body at her side, and when she looked, she saw that a robed figure had grabbed him.

"Asuka!" He was then silenced, struck across the head by a large fist. Asuka's eyes narrowed, driving all else out of her sight, leaving only her enemy and her dear friend in her view.

"Whoever you are, you will let go of him this instant!" Asuka armed her duel disc, and for a moment it seemed to her as though it had gotten colder. No, everything had gotten colder; the rain was becoming like sleet and the wind had picked up, making the umbrella useless. Asuka cast it aside into the wind.

"Let him go, sure, but on a simple condition." There was something familiar about that voice, but Asuka could not place it. The robed figure then slammed Judai against a tree, and his body began to sink into it. "If you do not wish him to become one with these woods, you will have to defeat me, and prove the merit of your power!" The robed figure then armed her duel disc; it was a her, that much was clear now.

"Why? What purpose do you have, challenging me like this?" More and more, Asuka was certain that she knew who this woman was, yet somehow she could not recognize her; at this point her cowl should not have been able to hide her face anymore, yet it did. To Asuka, it was as though her own mind did not wish to recognize her opponent, as though she were afraid. Afraid? Of what? She had no doubt that she would emerge victorious, and Kuriboh was still hidden in her deck, so this fear could not be attributed to what Kuriboh told her. So then why was she afraid?

"My purpose is simple," The robed woman said in her cool voice. "The duel is an exceptionally efficient method for me to perform my art, to divine the future and see what the light reveals to us all. I summon from my hand Arcana Force III – The Empress." It was a slender, feminine figure, its body lined with spikes, and its angry face lacking a mouth. And above it, appeared the card, rotating at high speed. "To determine both the outcome of The Empress's effect and the outcome of this stage of the reading, you must declare stop, and determine whether the card shall be upright, or reversed."

"..." Asuka watched carefully; this Arcana Force monster was very different from anything she'd faced before, but even so, it was not hard to figure out that she wanted this card to be reversed. "Stop!"

"Now the reading begins." The Empress was in the upright position. "Whenever you summon a monster, I can special summon an Arcana Force monster from my hand. But more important, is what The Upright Empress represents; The Empress is feminine wisdom, it is the mother, the source of fertility and life. It is the creation of progeny, both literal and otherwise. I should think it a very apt reflection of your very being, of what you are in your heart of hearts, Asuka."

"What?" Asuka's eyes flared open in anger; to hear this, to have someone attempt to reduce her like this... "I will not stand for this! All you've done is play some random card that you happened to draw; against everything I've done, it's meaningless!" The rain grew heavier, the clouds darker. The wind howled, whipping the rain into a frenzy.

"Such an aggressive response, and so early on." The figure was smiling, Asuka could hear it in her voice. "You would think that the fate that has been ordained for you was truly horrible, and yet nothing could be further from the truth. The reading is yet unfinished, and the full extent of your fate has yet to be revealed. But don't take my word for it Asuka; now it's your turn. Turn the wheel of fate, and so that we may learn more of what awaits you." Asuka took a few deep breaths and calmed herself.

"Fine. I'll play your game, but I refuse to let it affect me. I now summon Mother Grizzly in attack mode." The blue-furred bear roared over the wind as a new Arcana Force monster appeared; black on one side and white on the other, this one was also distinctly feminine, though in a far more demure and modest fashion then The Empress.

"Arcana Force II – The Priestess. Now, choose, and reveal your fate to me." Once more the card began to rotate, and despite Asuka's efforts, she could not prevent it from stopping in the upright position. "The Priestess, in this position, represents the inner voice and the divine feminine; that it follows The Empress in this reading shows me that a secret that you've kept hidden within your heart will soon be revealed." More and more the voice became more familiar to Asuka, and whatever mental block was in place, she would not tolerate it anymore.

"Show your face! If you're going to try and act like you know me, like you've been prying into my life, then show your face!"

"Very well; since this duel does have the life of your love on the line, then I shall oblige." The woman unfurled her hood, and Asuka stared in shock at the sight of herself, of her own eyes looking back with an unnatural cold.

"I said show me your face! Take off that mask right now!" The air grew colder, the sleet grew stronger.

"This is no mask, Asuka. I am you, the light hidden within the darkness of your heart. I am the you that is honest with her feelings and knows what it is she truly desires out of life, as shown in the cards." As the other Asuka smiled, things began to click into place for Asuka.

"This isn't real, is it? No, none of this is, its just a dream. And I do not have to put up with any of this in the sanctum of my sleep." As Asuka looked around herself, she saw the dark woods being consumed in a white fog, including the tree that 'Judai' had been sealed in.

"Interesting; with this realization, you could end the dream now, yet you do not. We both know why this is the case, don't we?" Asuka had to admit that her doppelganger was right; the fact of the matter was that this was a duel, even though it was only an illusion of her subconscious, and she would never refuse a challenge or run away, especially when her opponent was herself.

"Well, you've got me there; I suppose that when even my subconscious wants to duel me, I ought to be honored. But if its all the same, drop the fortune telling; we both know that that's a load." The other Asuka shook her head.

"Don't be so close minded; I'm not, and its done wonders for me. But before you attack, I feel I should let you know the effect of The Priestess; so long as it is on the field, any battle damage I would suffer is instead inflicted upon you; being in tune with my inner voice gives me safety and confidence." Asuka had to make a choice, but really it wasn't much of a choice at all; while the damage that The Priestess would generate would be annoying, The Empress could easily summon a powerful high level monster in an instant, making it far more dangerous of the two.

"Well then, I'll just have to take a few lumps; Mother Grizzly, attack The Empress!" The bear mauled its opponent, but The Priestess's eyes glowed and Asuka felt the raking of those claws across her chest as her life points decreased by 100 points.

"Yes, this is a side of yourself that you've affirmed many times; the ability to take on pain and suffering for yourself in order to achieve your goals. It is even the meaning of your signature card, Double Passe. This is of course an exemplary quality to posses for a woman such as yourself, one that acknowledges what is truly important in life. This act of self-sacrifice for the greater good is indeed, the epitome of the feminine strength." Asuka found her features being drawn into a growl, and she was not at all inclined to resist.

"My patience is wearing thin. I may be a woman, but my strength is my own; if I'm willing to make sacrifices, it is because I know I can afford them, not because I'm beholden to some misogynistic standard of what I can and can't do! I set two cards and end my turn." The wind howled and the rain pounded, and it was as though Asuka's aura drove it; hell, not as though, it was so. Were this not a dream, Asuka would be cold, soaked to the bone, but in this dream Asuka never felt so warm, so dry. The pale white fog began to fade, and where it did, there was only an empty black void.

"How powerful indeed is the darkness of your heart Asuka. For one such as myself to survive and shine in such an environment is a true challenge indeed. Fortunately, I have help to make sure that I can do so." The image of Judai appeared behind the other Asuka, holding her gently. "That's a good boy. I now summon Arcana Force VI – The Lovers!" A squat heavyset figure appeared alongside The Priestess, and the hearts printed on her body were very clearly meant to evoke a feminine image.

"Stop!" Asuka called out the instant the card appeared, and her speed was rewarded by the reversed image when it did so. "Looks like you need to refine your fortune telling method, 'other me'." The image of Judai vanished, but the smile on the other Asuka's face did not.

"Not at all; upright or reversed, the meaning is most significant. The Lovers concerns not merely the literal issue of one's romantic partner, but also of choice; to come up in the reversed position at this junction, at this time, signifies a false choice. Your nature as a woman has not misled you, your inner voice is true, but your joining with Judai, is false." The image of Judai reappeared, standing proud, yet somehow leering. "He has a terrible power, one that takes you further and further away from the fate that you are meant to fulfill, and the further you are from that fate, the greater the misery that will inevitably befall you."

"How dare you." Asuka spat the words out. "My decisions, my choices...there is nothing wrong with them! I can be myself, and be with him! I used to think that I had to choose between them, but I've resolved that false dichotomy; with Judai, I've been even more myself then I was before!"

"I see." The other Asuka narrowed her eyes. "You have now reached the point of obstinate stubbornness. I believe that a demonstration of the power of fate shall have the desired effect. The Lovers, attack Mother Grizzly!" The heavy figure reached out with long stretchy arms and flattened Mother Grizzly for 200 points of damage.

"Trap card activate, Frozen Blessing! When a water monster is destroyed, I can pick up cards from my deck equal to that monster's level; I add one to my hand and remove the rest from play. Further, with Mother Grizzly's effect I special summon Cure Mermaid from my deck in attack mode." The sound of crashing waves heralded the arrival of Cure Mermaid, and one of those waves lifted Asuka's cards for her, and in an instant she grabbed the desired one before the rest were sent to the deep.

"A skillful response, yet this style of recurrence has a decidedly different aspect to that of Judai's; it is more...creative. I set three cards, and end my turn."

As Cure Mermaid's healing power restored Asuka's strength, she noticed a pale light hovering above her opponent; it was like the sun, but nowhere near so bright. Something tried to come to mind, but that same block that kept her from recognizing the true form of her opponent, kept her from making whatever realization was trying to make itself known. Still, there would be time for that later; right now she had to defeat her opponent, and the first step to that would be dealing with that annoying Priestess. "I now remove Mother Grizzly from my grave to special summon Aqua Spirit from my hand. Next, I activate my trap card, Other World's Divine Mist; I total the levels of the water monsters that I've removed from play and add a water monster of that level or lower from my deck to my hand. Mother Grizzly and Cold Enchanter total a level of eight, so I add Ice Queen to my hand. Now I play Big Wave Small Wave, destroying both water monsters on my side of the field to special summon an equal number of water monsters from my hand." Cure Mermaid and Aqua Spirit were washed away, and in their place arrived Ice Master and Ice Queen.

"Very skillfully done; a precise course of actions that brought you what you needed without needless waste. Yes, you will surely be able to fulfill your destiny most ably, once you are in the right mindset and no longer so resistant to fate."

"Shut up! If you are trying to turn me into some sort of puppet, then I will defeat you absolutely and defy everything that you are! I activate Ice Master's effect, adding an Ice counter to Arcana Force II – The Priestess. Next, I activate Ice Queen's effect, paying 500 life points to take control of the now water attribute Priestess!" Ice laced the body of the priestess, and the call of the Ice Queen drew The Priestess to her side. "Now, without The Priestess your life points are no longer safe. Ice Queen, attack The Lovers!" Shards of ice tore through The Lovers, dealing 1300 points of damage. "Ice Master, continue the assault!" More ice, another 2500 points of damage; the pale ball of light above the false Asuka now began to glow bright, driving away the darkness of the dreamscape.

"As I had thought, you are indeed the Midnight Sun; even within the deepest darkness, you will shine and be as a beacon of hope to those around you, and to him in particular. I now activate my trap card, Resounding Fate! I reduce my life points by half and special summon an Arcana Force Monster from my grave in attack mode, and I can negate one attack; you will not be able to kill your priestess, your inner voice, simply to get to me." Arcana Force VI – The Lovers appeared once more, still in the reversed position.

"That's okay; with all those cards you'd set, I would have been terribly disappointed if it had ended so easily." Still, she had cause for confidence; now that she had The Priestess, her opponent could not attack without risking terrible damage that she could not afford, and even if she figured a way around that, she still had Kuriboh in her hand. "That's it for me."

"Yes, it is; I am happy to say that this entire duel has proceeded in exactly the manner as was outlined to me by the light, Midnight Sun." Her opponent then drew her card, the only one in her hand, and smiled. "Now, I activate my trap card, Reversal of Fate; with this, I switch The Lovers to the Upright effect; before, I could not perform a sacrifice summon, but now The Lovers can act as two sacrifices, allowing me to summon Arcana Force XX – Judgment!" The light above her opponent exploded, flared, flashed as bright as the real sun, and the call of a heralds horn echoed above her. The rain and wind stopped, and Asuka looked up to see what seemed at first sight to be a cloud; but within that cloud was an ominous figure, possessing the seeming of an angel save for the grotesque growths coming from its back, like a family trapped within its flesh. The card appeared and began to rotate, but before Asuka could say anything, it stopped immediately in the upright position.

"What!?" Asuka then saw the Priestess going into reverse.

"Judgment; this is the card which heralds the end, the card that gazes upon you and all that you are, and determines whether you will be able to pass into the new world, or will be washed away with the old. Judgment's first effect is activated; I reverse the effect of one Arcana Force monster on the field to ensure Judgment's upright effect, and so long as the priestess on your side of the field is reversed, you will suffer twice the battle damage!" In an instant, Asuka calculated that at 3600 damage, damage that she could not afford if she was going to win! Fortunately, she still had the perfect block. "Judgment, attack The Priestess; Cleansing Clarion Call!" A crushing sound overwhelmed The Priestess, obliterating her.

"I now discard Kuriboh, reducing all battle damage to zero!"

"This too has been foreseen! I activate my trap card, Future Ordained; when I attack with an Arcana Force monster, you can't activate any effects until after the damage step." Kuriboh vanished, unable to protect Asuka. "And now Judgment's other effect is activated; when your monster is destroyed by battle, you take damage equal to that monsters attack power!" As the spectral form of The Priestess struck out at her, Asuka was overwhelmed by the sense of just how completely her opponents strategy had encompassed her own. Worse yet, she knew what the fear that Judgment had struck in her was; it was the fear that she was right, that she had been making a mistake, in everything. She did not believe that such a fear was hers, and yet...

"The duel, and the reading is complete, Asuka the Midnight Sun. You are someone who has attempted to combine two different halves into one harmony within yourself, in a selfish desire to have everything without losing anything. You have foregone the greater purpose and the greater destiny that exists for you to fulfill, and had I not intervened, you would continue along this false path. As the Midnight Sun, you would have drawn many important and powerful individuals along your path, including the one you have foolishly given your heart to. But it is not too late; you can still affirm your fate, and be the woman that you are meant to be, be the pride of your family, of your school, of your world. Shine for others, shine in the name of fate and the light, and you will know true contentment."

Asuka could feel it, she could feel the light growing even brighter, making all truth clearer. And yet, beyond that light, was a shadow. It was a familiar shadow, one that she recognized instantly. It could not reach her, but it didn't have to; knowing that it was here, near to her, was all that Asuka needed. Further, that one shadow allowed her to clear her mind, and see what it was that her opponent refused to allow her to see within the light.

"No, I am not being selfish." The other Asuka's eyes grew wide with shock as her light grew dimmer, the air grew colder. "I am Asuka Tenjouin, a duelist who seeks to prove herself on the battlefield, and I enjoy the companionship of a man who's spirit has been a constant companion to my own." Kuriboh appeared on her shoulder, no worse for wear. The true Asuka's skin began to glow, brighter and brighter as her voice gained more and more force. "If your fate would call me wrong or selfish, if it would try and cast me into a mold that I do not belong in, then I will defy that fate to my last breath. Now, whoever you are, get out of my head!"

Asuka opened her eyes, and saw that she was now in her room; it was three in the morning, so she got a quick drink of water and returned to the relaxing dark of sleep once more.

* * *

"A most interesting outcome, I must admit." Takuma Saiou said to himself. "I had anticipated that Judai would emerge victorious, but for Asuka to resist despite losing..." He walked over to the table and shuffled his Tarot cards. He then drew the Hierophant in the upright position. "I understand now; Yes, this is how it should be. Judai, Asuka, I thank you for showing me this, the proper method to having you both see the light. It will take some time, but there is all the time that I need; fate has decreed it to be the case." Saiou then returned to sleep, awaiting the light of dawn.


	5. Chapter 5

At home in the Deep Forest, Momiji Todo.

"Asuka, you mean you had that weird dream too?" Asuka nodded at Judai; the two of them were in the commons eating lunch, when Asuka decided to share what she could recall of last night's 'adventure'.

"That's what it looks like Judai. When you first told me about your dream, I'd honestly thought that you were just too excited about the new year. But now, it definitely feels like the prelude to something, something big." The two duelists looked around at all the students, their friends and peers who seemed to have not a worry in the world.

"You know, I hear that Edo, that he's got two ! But don't ask me in what, I haven't been able to find that out yet." One Obelisk blue girl said to her Ra Yellow friend.

"That's nothing, I hear that he's an expert extreme athlete who can do any style of skiing or surfing known to man. But don't ask me where he does it all, I haven't been able to piece that together yet." The two students walked out of sight, and Judai stifled a mild laugh, which Asuka joined in.

"I guess being the youngest pro duelist ever isn't enough for some girls, huh Asuka? You sure I'm not holding you back?" Asuka grinned at the off-hand referrence to the subject of her dream.

"Nah, even if he did beat you that one time, you still have one world-saving on him that he doesn't. Or at least, one world-of-dueling saving on him. In any event, I think this world will be a better place with someone like you." Judai smiled back at the reference to his dream, and the two huddled together.

"Just remember Asuka, _we_ saved our world together. I couldn't have done even half as much without you there." The two sat together, beneath the tree planted in the commons, taking in the natural strength of the shadowed soil. "Besides, Professor Saiou seems like he'd see anything bad coming a kilometer away, so we'll be able to take care of whatever's coming no problem." Asuka's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So you trust Professor Saiou wholeheartedly then?"

"You mean you don't?" Asuka shook her head.

"I don't know, like I told Edo, he himself's a pretty good sign that Professor Saiou's on the up and up, but he's just a little...overeager, about the light." Judai brethed in in contemplation.

"I guess I can see why that would bug you, but he just seems like he's really enthusiastic. And besides, one look in his eyes and you can really see that all he wants is to help us out."

* * *

"Huh, I wonder why Professor Saiou seems to have taken such an interest in me?" Momiji Todo was laying on his back in the western woods, watching the branches of the tree he was resting beneath sway in the wind. He thought about what had happened in class the previous day, how it had seemed as though Professor Saiou had known him from somewhere, like he hadn't ever expected to see him again. But, that didn't make any sense; the fact was that they had never met before, and while he supposed that Professor Saiou might have mistaken him for someone else, the fact was that he had a sufficiently distinct appearance that this was unlikely. Besides which, he noticed the extra attention that his work received in comparison to the others, which logically should not have happened if all it was was a mistaken impression on Professor Saiou's part.

Still, without anything material to go on, Momiji closed his eyes and listened to the wind rustling the leaves. Then he heard the snapping of a twig and opened his eyes to see that a fellow second year Ra Yellow was making his way through the woods. Momiji would have given it no mind and let his peer walk by without drawing any attention to himself, but this standard operating procedure fell apart when he realized that the Ra Yellow, who he now recognized as Daichi Misawa, was in fact heading for him.

"Greetings Momiji; this is a pretty out of the way spot I'd say." Momiji was somewhat wary; it wasn't that he didn't want people finding him or anything like that, he just didn't understand why anyone would. After all, he'd managed to make it through the events of the previous year almost completely unnoticed, save for when he was...vanished, along with the rest of the students. But that wasn't about him, whereas Misawa's actions clearly were. For the second time now he was being noticed, and he wasn't sure that he cared for that.

"It is. Given both the size of these woods, as well as their nature in themselves, I doubt that you just happened to stumble across me." Misawa seemed slightly taken aback at this.

"To the point." Misawa then hunched down on his feet, bringing his eyes level with Momiji's. "I just found your performance in Professor Saiou's class yesterday to be really surprising; I hadn't suspected that you were so well versed in the history of the study of light, and Momoe tells me that she actually studied with you once last year. Said that you weren't a very good study partner."

"Had she?" Momiji reflected, going over every day in short order, and sure enough he had studied with her briefly; it hadn't lasted for very long, which he was just fine with. Again, not that he had intended to antagonize her or anything of the sort, he was just glad that he could be allowed to contemplate the soil beneath him in peace. "She didn't strike me as someone who would be upset after so long."

"Don't worry, she's not. Besides, she's not the issue at hand, you are. I've been going over it a while now, and I have a hard time believing that you were able to work as quickly and accurately as you did yesterday without some level of help." Momiji sighed in an annoyed manner.

"Come on, you can't honestly believe that I have some manner of hidden arrangement with Professor Saiou to provide me with easy answers in advance. First of all, we've never met before, and second, what possible benefit would I gain from it? My grades at present are entirely adequete to remain in Ra Yellow and I have no real desire to apply for Obelisk Blue. Given these two indisputible facts, I have to wonder what your real purpose here is." Momiji said all this with only the mildest irritation in his voice, his eyes focused more on a leaf that was gliding on the wind.

"Well, then I should have said that I 'had' a hard time believing that; I'd suspected that you really were as intelligent and focused as you seemd to be yesterday, and your response just now confirmed that to me. I appologize for the unfounded accusation." Momiji took his eyes off the leaf and looked down at a small beetle that was passing by.

"Since you've appologized, I accept." Momiji saw the beetle pass through Misawa's shadow. "Is there something else?" Misawa smiled.

"Actually, there is; I looked up your dueling record and I noticed that you've only dueled the exact minimum neccessary needed to stay in Ra Yellow. I think that just like yesterday in class, that you have far more dueling skill then you're letting on. One match, that's all I ask." Momiji took his eyes off the insects and the plants and looked at Misawa.

"...Okay. I don't get why, but okay."

* * *

"Tell me, Professor Saiou..."

"Please, Principal Samejima, call me Takuma." Takuma Saiou was seated across from his superior, smiling benignly.

"Of course Takuma. Now, you've been here for a couple of days now; how have you found your experience here at Duel Academia?"

"Its been very enlightening, more so then I'd even imagined it would be. The students here have a layer of maturity and power in their souls that I've not often seen elsewhere; by my estimation, I would say that around thirty percent of all the students currently in attendance posses the capacity to change the world for the better. By contrast, in my last place of employment there were just barely two percent of those that I'd observed to have been touched by the light. For someone such as myself, it is truly a warm sensation to be surrounded by so many shining wills." Principal Samejima smiled earnestly.

"Wonderful! You'd been chosen at such short notice, but I can see that my worries that you might have been overwhelmed are ill-founded. Now, is there anything else that you would like to talk about?" Saiou's smile became somewhat more...more.

"Actually, there is, since you bring it up; I am interested in the rules regarding how a student organization is established and what level of investment and involvement will be called upon the faculty sponsor?"

* * *

"I'll begin, Misawa." Misawa could hear it, the whisperings of his spirit partner the Nine-Tailed Fox; it assured him that this duel would be most enlightening. "I start by playing Seed of Deception, allowing me to special summon a level two or lower plant monster from my hand to the field. I special summon Evil Thorn." A sickly growth emerged before Momiji, one end resembling a pale red flower shaped like a bell, while the other seemed like a throbbing black grenade covered in spikes. "Now, by Evil Thorn's effect, I sacrifice it to deal three hundred points of damage to you." The plant twisted in and then spun out, tossing the grenade portion at Misawa and dealing the promised damage. As the plant decayed and died away, two more of the same grew in its place. "Further, with that effect I can special summon two more Evil Thorn's from my deck in attack mode, though they now lack their effect. I sacrifice them both to summon Regenerating Rose in attack mode." A massive rose-like plant arose in place of the now deceased Evil Thorns, though no actual rose possessed what seemed to be four powerful arms, nor would an actual rose seem to be wearing a cape of some sort. What was more curious to Misawa then its appearance, was that Momiji chose to summon it in attack mode despite its zero attack power. "I now set one card, and play The World Tree to end my turn."

A massive tree emerged from behind Momiji, dwarfing all other such entities in the woods. Numerous blossoming flowers decorated its leaves. For each flower that bloomed, nurtured by the destruction of some plant life, Momiji would gain decidedly potent powers; one would strengthen a plant monster, two would destroy a card, and three would bring back a plant from the grave.

"Very well then, my turn!" Misawa carefully went over the course of Momiji's first turn; Evil Thorn, Seed of Deception, The World Tree, and Regenerating Rose, and now a face down card which would no doubt prove to be Sinister Seeds; there was a definite cycle of growth and rejuvination to Momiji's strategy, and a reckless attack now would only give Momiji more to work with. Fortunately, Misawa had what he needed to counter this strategy. "I start by discarding Skull Conductor to special summon Crow Tengu and Skull Servant from my hand, and then I sacrifice them both to summon Akaoni! Further, by discarding one card in my hand, I return Regenerating Rose to your hand. Now without any plant monsters to be destroyed, The World Tree will have no effect. Akaoni, attack directly!" The red ogre smashed the space where the Regenerating Rose once stood, the uplifted earth dealing 2800 points of damage directly to Momiji. "And that is my turn. That was good Momiji, but you can't hole up behind your defenses against me."

"That's sure what it looks like, Misawa." Momiji said, looking back and up at The World Tree. "But just because you don't see the roots deep in the ground, doesn't mean that they're not there. I now summon Hoarding Hopper in defense mode, and set one card to end my turn." The insect was a huge Grasshopper, though with features reminiscent of a preying mantis, hunched over to protect its silent brood.

"Interesting; your monster's effect, to summon an insect or plant with fifteen hundred attack points or less from your deck when destroyed while on the field, would require back up to keep you from losing this duel right now. Therefore, I start by summoning Mezuki from my hand, and then I play Nobleman of Crossout to remove the trap card that you just set!" With only Sinister Seeds left over, Momiji would not be able to recover...what! The card that Nobleman of Crossout just removed...

"Yes, the second card I set was Sinister Seeds, and not the first as you had surmised. I could feel the plan you were formulating in the soil beneath your feet, and so I acted accordingly."

"The soil beneath my feet?" Misawa raised his eyebrows. "Are you entirely serious, or are you having me on?" Momiji shrugged.

"Cards can have spirits, I don't see why the natural environment can't either. But I don't care if you don't believe me; no one ever does, so it doesn't matter."

"...Well, that's truly something to hear. In any event, I still plan to press the offensive; after all, one bluff might hide another. Mezuki, attack Hoarding Hopper!" The horse-headed demon struck and cleaved the insect in two with its mighty axe. But with its effect Hoarding Hopper summoned a new monster from its corpse; a massive caterpiller with red and blue carapace plates running across its body. It opened its mouth and shot out a cloud of chemicals onto Misawa's side of the field.

"Ultimate Insect Level Three's effect; so long as it is on the field, your monster's lose three hundred attack points."

"Interesting; this means you will have one hundred life points by the end of the turn. Akaoni, attack Ultimate Insect."

"Trap Card activate, Buried Thorns!" An Evil Thorn erupted from the ground before Akaoni in defense mode, and rather then moving around it, Akaoni smashed it, not touching Momiji's life points in the slightest. Further, one of the flowers upon The World Tree began to bloom. "Once per turn, when I have three level two or lower plant monsters in my grave, I can special summon one during your battle phase in defense mode and change the target of the attack to that monster."

"Well then, that was pretty good! I end my turn Momiji."

"And now during my standby phase, I sacrifice Ultimate Insect Level Three to summon from my deck Ultimate Insect Level Five." Ultimate Insect Level Three seemed to contract in on itself, and then Ultimate Insect Level Five burst out of it like it were a cocoon; it was shaped somewhat like a pillbug, save that it was balanced on long spindly legs and its body was lined with sharp spikes. Once more it sprayed a caustic cloud of chemicals onto Misawa's side of the field. "Now your monsters will lose five hundred attack points so long as Ultimate Insect Level Five is on the field. Ultimate Insect, attack Mezuki." The giant insect waddled over on its spindly legs, and punctured it through and through, again and again, until its flesh was decidedly perforated and dead, dealing 1100 damage to Misawa. "Now I play the field spell card, Deep Forest."

At first, it didn't seem like much had changed; the woods were somewhat thicker, but not too much so. Then Misawa realized that at some point Momiji had disapeared from sight!

"Momiji! Are you still there?" Misawa did not believe that Momiji had abandoned the duel in progress, but that did not keep his apparent disapearence from being troubling in its own way.

"I'm still here Misawa." Indeed, his voice came from the exact spot where he'd been standing before, yet Misawa could not see him. "I'm just reinforcing my defenses a little; you see, while Deep Forest is on the field, an Insect, Beast, Beast-warrior, or Plant monster that is selected as the target of an attack or effect can be removed from play to negate that attack, and it is returned to the field during the end phase. This concludes my turn Misawa."

"Damn, he's got me in a bind, that's for sure." Misawa meticuliously went over his options; even if he were to use Mezuki to bring back Crow Tengu, Momiji could evade the destruction effect and then combine Buried Thorns and Deep Forest to negate both attacks. Worst of all, Ultimate Insect LV5 would still evolve to its final stage, and become more powerful then any monster that Misawa could bring to bear. Rushing now would only doom him, so he had to wait. "I play Foolish Burial, sending Sacred Onmoraki to the grave from my deck. Next I put Akaoni into defense mode and end my turn."

With that, Ultimate Insect Level Five completed its evolution into Ultimate Insect Level Seven, taking flight like a perfectly vicious moth and bathing Misawa's side of the field in yet more debilitating chemicals, dropping Akaoni's and any future monster's attack power by 700.

"I summon Lord Poison to the field, and attack with both my monsters." Ultimate Insect Level Seven flew above Akaoni and tore him to shreds. Lord Poison then lunged forward and punctured Misawa through with a thorn covered arm, dealing 1500 points of direct damage. "Well, that's it for this round, but I don't really see you winning at this point Misawa; the trees and roots keep me safe, and the insects will keep your monsters down, too weak to fight back. Whatever you were trying to accomplish today, I don't see it happening."

"You don't see what I'm trying to do?" Misawa shook his head. "Look at yourself; even in this one on one duel, you've hidden yourself so tightly away that I can't even see you. And I just don't get why; given both your performance in academics and on the field, you don't have any real reason to hide yourself, not as far as I'm concerned. If you don't mind my saying so, I think that we could help each other reach our full potential, but the only way that can happen is if you stop hiding from me and everyone else."

"...I don't mean to hide out here. It just comes natural to me, that's all."

"Well, it's time for you to stop, and I'm going to make that happen; first, I play Reinforcement of Ghosts, bringing back Sacred Onmoraki and Crow Tengu from my grave at the cost of one thousand life points." Crow Tengu attempted to use its effect on Ultimate Insect Level Seven, but it fled deep into the Deep Forest, beyond the reach of the Yokai. Then Misawa drew a card from Sacred Onmoraki's effect. "And now I play Waves of Death; for each Zombie type monster I remove in my grave, I can destroy one spell or trap on your side of the field. I have four in my grave, and there are four targets on your field." The spirits of Misawa's monsters arose as phantoms and destroyed the layered flora and fauna that Momiji hid behind, and now he stood there, looking somewhat...eager.

"Damn, you really do deserve to be called number one in Ra Yellow."

"Heh, and I've not finished yet; Sacred Onmoraki, attack Lord Poison for one hundred points of damage!" The crane flew and raked at Lord Poison with its talons, no longer crippled by Ultimate Insect Level Seven's poison. Lord Poison's effect then brought back Evil Thorn in defense mode, which Crow Tengu took apart fairly quickly. And now that the Deep Forest was gone, the Ultimate Insect could not return. Momiji, now out in the open, found himself rather excited despite himself, drawing his next card with more vigor then usually did. He looked at it.

"I surrender." He showed his hand, Regenerating Rose and Multiplication of Ants.

"That's a shame; we'll have to do this again some time, and end a duel decisively. Still, I think we both managed to learn quite a bit, haven't we Momiji?" Momiji's smile grew wider.

"You know Misawa, I think I can get to like you." The two then shook hands and mad their way together for the Ra Yellow Dorm.


	6. Chapter 6

Skill and Ambition, Shou vs. Rei

"Hey Judai, off to another duel I see." Rei said, standing at the entrance to the Osiris Red dorm. Standing in front of it, to be more precise.

"Yeah, a practical exam with one of the Teacher's Assistants; I don't know who its going to be, but that just makes it more exciting for me!" Rei smiled widely at Judai's enthusiasm.

"That sounds wonderful Judai, but before you go, I have to ask; do you notice anything different about me today?" Rei stood with hands behind her back, confident that Judai would catch her meaning.

"Hmm, nope. You look the same as always Rei." Rei's eyes were wide with shock.

"Really? You sure you don't notice 'anything' different about me?" She said, standing up on her toes and using her hands to push on her back. She saw Judai's eyes scan the whole of her body, and she knew that victory was in sight.

"...Is it a new haircut?" Rei knew full well that if this were an anime that she and everyone with any sense in sight would have just fallen onto their faces. As it was, she just sighed and stepped aside, motioning to Judai to avoid being late.

"Nah, it was just a trick question; should have stuck with your first answer Judai!" As Judai dashed off, he flashed her a smile and gave her a thumbs up. With that done and out of the way, Rei made her back to her room, confirmed that Shou was not in it, and then removed the padding from her bra.

"Honestly!" She grumped to herself, tossing the offending pads away into the garbage. "How could he have not noticed? I mean, I even went to the trouble to make sure they were the same size as Asuka's!" She looked over at the picture of Judai and Asuka that was kept on his desk; for this occasion, it seemed that they had decided to cross their duel discs like swords. Rei, however, focused her attention on the way the two were looking at each other, and even on film the warmth and passion could be seen plain as day. "It's not like I'm love crazed," Rei whispered to herself. "It's not like I want to break up the happy couple or anything stupid like that..."

"Hey Rei, did Judai already leave?" Rei put the picture back down and stepped away from Judai's desk, turning to face Shou, who had clearly just gotten out of the bath, his hair still retaining some moisture.

"Yeah, you just missed him. Say, when was this picture taken any way?" Rei said, pointing to the picture that she had been examining a moment ago.

"Oh, that?" Shou picked it up, smiling fondly at the memories associated with it. "Fubuki, Asuka's older brother, he took it just after the end of year ceremony last year. He said that he wanted to be able to have a keepsake of the happiest moment in his life, and Asuka came up with the idea of her and Judai crossing their duel discs like swords. After he took it, he made copies for the two of them and told them to keep them in view at all times, just in case he decided to drop by. He hasn't yet, but you never know with Fubuki."

"Is that so? Beautiful, smart, strong, and loved, Asuka's got it all going for her. Kind of makes me feel small by comparison." Okay, so she was playing it up a little, but the sympathy that Shou demonstrated when he put his hand on her shoulder made it worth it.

"Hey, you don't need to worry about measuring up to Asuka; I used to think that way about myself and my sister, but thanks to my bro Judai, I know that I don't have to do that. Heck, I'm even thinking of applying for a transfer to Ra Yellow." Rei's eyes went wide and she dropped all pretend from her actions.

"Huh, that's kind of weird; I mean, we haven't known each other that long yet, but you've been pretty attached-at-the-hip to Judai, even climbing up that rock face to make sure that you didn't get left behind. So why the move away from him, if I can ask?"

"Well," Shou said, gulping out of slight nervousness, "I know this will sound weird, considering what I just said a moment ago, but I want to let my sister know that I'm still working hard, still growing stronger. I just hope that this can help encourage her as she tries to find herself again." Rei looked at Shou for a little while, thinking, planning.

"You know, it occurs to me that we ought to duel!" Rei was grinning now, becoming animatedly excited. "Think about it, you want to improve yourself and show your sister what you can do, and I want to improve myself and show A...my cousin what I can do. Heck, we can even throw in a little wager."

"What kind of wager?" Part of Shou was a little nervous, but there was a quality to Rei's enthusiasm that was infectious; it even reminded him of Judai, in a way.

"Whoever wins..." Rei paused, wanting to make sure she didn't waste this opportunity. "gets to apply for Ra Yellow!"

"...But Rei, you're still only in first year; you can't apply for the next dorm up until a full year has been completed."

"Yeah, I know that; but this is for down the line for me. And for you...consider it a practice run, 'cause if you can't get past me, there's no way that you'll be able to defeat whoever Professor Chronos or Midori decides you have to face. So, how about it? You up to my challenge, Shou?"

"Yeah, yeah I am! Let's head out back and do this!" Shou pumped his fist, signaling how ready he was. Rei smiled back, pleased that at least this was going as planned.

* * *

"You two are more then qualified to apply for the transfer to Obelisk Blue, but before I give you my recommendation, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Momoe?" She stood up, letting go of Junko's hand and looking Professor Hibiki in the eye. "If it turns out that only you are able to advance to Obelisk Blue, would you be willing to go ahead without Junko?" Momoe smiled, as though prepared for this line of inquiry.

"Junko and I, we've talked about this very issue, and while we would like to be able to stay together, this opportunity is far more important to us. And, for me, I need to be able to stand apart; I don't know if you know this already Professor Midori, but Junko and I have been like two peas in a pod for years and years. I don't have a problem with that at all, but I want to see what we can do when we're apart."

"But then again," Junko piped in, "We might both make it in anyway. But yes, I'm ready to accept having to stand apart." The two Ra Yellow girls then looked each other in the eye, and remembered the confrontation with The Prophet last year; hopefully, this would help to ensure that neither of them would make a mistake like that ever again.

"Well, I can see that you two are serious then. I will make the arrangements and let you two know when your opponents have been decided, and then you can take that step at that time." Professor Midori said with a smile at her prized pupils who had grown so much.

* * *

"Here I go Shou! I start by summoning Homonculus the Alchemic Being from my hand!" The figure standing before Rei seemed human enough, but its neuter androgynous form and the black bands that wrapped around its arms and legs, which were colored differently from the rest of the body, marked the artificial nature of this artificial human. "Once per turn, I can change Homonculus's attribute to any other, and so I change it to fire, then I set two cards and end my turn." The Homonculus's flesh turned red hot, and Shou could see the air shimmer around it.

"That's a strong start Rei, but let me show you what your senior can do! I start by summoning Blast Magician from my hand." A man in a red robe holding a bladed-staff appeared, with only 1400 attack points to the Homonculus's 1800. "Now, each time a spell card is played, Blast Magician gains a spell counter, and by removing spell counters from him, I can destroy a monster with an attack power equal to or less then seven hundred times the number of spell counters removed. So, I'm going to start by playing Magical Blast to deal two hundred points of damage to you." A sphere of magic roughly the size of a baseball smashed into Rei's gut, but she withstood it steadily. "Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying the first card you set down onto the field." A howling concentrated wind tore through Rei's trap.

"Not bad Shou; with Elemental Renewal, I could have special summoned another monster of the same attribute that was destroyed this turn. But unless you have a third spell up your sleeve, your Blast Magician isn't going anywhere against me."

"Which is why I'm equiping Blast Magician with Sword of Deep-Seated, raising his attack power by five hundred and giving him a third spell counter." Blast Magician held out his left arm to take hold of the black sword that seemed to seethe with a deeply rooted anger. "Now, I remove all three spell counters to destroy Homonculus!" With sword and staff, Blast Magician quickly drew three sigils and projected their power at the Homonculus.

"I activate my other trap card, Burning Embers, sacrificing my Homonculus to destroy your Blast Magician." The fire in the Homonculus's body flared out, consuming flesh blood and bone, both for the Homonculus and for the Blast Magician. "And now I can add a fire monster from my deck to my hand, so long as it's attack power is less then the sacrificed monster."

"Don't count me out yet Rei!" Shou called out, shrugging off the sense of un-balance that Rei's trap had brought about in him. "When Sword of Deep-Seated is sent to the grave, it gets added back to the top of my deck. Now, I set one card and end my turn."

"All right, now it's my turn to go on the offensive!" Rei called out, her voice full of unambiguous confidence. "I summon another Homonculus, and switch it to Earth." Homonculus's flesh took on a rocky aspect, brown and hard. "And now I play Resonance Calling; I can special summon a Resonance monster from my deck in defense mode that shares an attribute with a monster on my field. Come forth, Resonance Warden!" Resonance Warden was a heavy-set woman in brown armor with 1000 defense points. "Now, attack directly Homonculus!" Homonculus dug his fist into the ground and punched out a rock right into Shou for 1800 points of damage. "Well, that's it for me. Come on Shou, pick up the pace a little, or else there's no way you're going to make it to Ra Yellow."

"Don't worry about me Rei." Shou said, wiping away at where the dirt would have struck him if it had been real, "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what your senior has in store for you. For you see, I now summon Silent Magician Level Four, and equip her with Sword of Deep-Seated, raising her attack power to fifteen hundred. Now, when she attacks Resonance Warden, I activate Magician's Circle to special summon Magical Marionette!" With the sword held off to one side, the Silent Magician advanced and launched a bolt of magic from her wand at the Resonance Warden. However, a field of power emerged from between the Homonculus and the Warden, protecting her from the blast. And as Magical Marionette took form, another monster appeared on Rei's side of the field.

"Sorry Shou, but so long as there's another Earth attribute monster on the field, Resonance Warden can't be destroyed. And, thanks to your Magician's Circle, I get to special summon a monster of my own, Resonance Maiden." Resonance Maiden was another woman, tall and slender in a Green robe with a tall staff and 1600 attack points. The field of power then grew, encompassing Resonance Maiden and increasing her attack power to 2100. "Further, when there's an Earth monster on the field, Resonance Maiden gains five hundred attack points for every spell and trap on the field."

"Well then, I'll just have to get rid of your Homonculus; Magical Marionette, attack Homonculus!" Magical Marionette flung out his fingers, sending out his knife-wielding doll to do his work for him. The doll struck surgically, cutting away at the binding straps that held the Homonculus together, destroying it for 200 points of damage. "Now your 'Resonance field' is gone, and that's the end of my turn."

"Not bad Shou, but not good enough!" As Rei drew her next card, Silent Magician Level Four glowed with power, her new spell counter bringing her to 2000 attack points. "I summon my third and final Homonculus, and change him to Wind so that he can be equipped with Airy Height." Homonculus became light on its feet, so much so that it was actually flying now, supported by a small tornado. "This raises Homonculus's attack power by five hundred and lets him penetrate defense. And since I have a wind monster on the field, I can use Resonance Maiden's effect to return your Sword of Deep-Seated to your hand!" A violent gust of wind ripped the sword from Silent Magician's hand, reducing her attack power by 500. "Attack, Resonance Maiden and Homonculus!" Homonculus twisted in flight, boring through Magical Marionette like a drill, while Resonance Maiden launched an emerald bolt of power at Silent Magician, destroying her before her time had come. "Now, I set one card and end my turn." Shou remembered the way a bad situation like this would have gotten him down before, but he still had one more turn, one more card, and like Judai had shown time and again, one card could change everything. And in looking at Rei, he allowed himself to forget her...forward tendencies towards Judai.

"Rei, you're really good! I mean, your cousin must be really powerful if you couldn't beat him with that deck." Rei seemed mildly shocked by that.

"Do you really think so? I don't know about that, 'cause Araide said that he could never measure to the really strong duelists, and after seeing Judai and Edo at the opening ceremony, I can see what he meant by that. Doesn't mean that I don't want to kick his butt down the line of course, but to be honest, I don't think that either of us are anywhere near ready for Ra Yellow yet."

"Well, that is what's riding on this whole duel, so let me show you how ready I really am! I play Spell Forecast, removing a spell card, in this case Sword of Deep-Seated, from my hand and draw two cards. Now I play Premature Burial to bring back Silent Magician Level Four, and then play Level Up to sacrifice her and summon Silent Magician Level Eight!" Gone was the child, now came the adult with 3500 attack points. "Silent Magician Level Eight, attack Homonculus, Silent Burning!" The Silent Magician let loose a huge wave of power, but before it reached her target, the aura of green around the homonculus and the Resonance Warden began to glow, redirecting right at Rei, bringing her all the way down to 100 life points.

"Boy, you sure don't hold back, do you Shou?" Rei said as got her bearings back. "But when there's a Wind attribute monster on the field, Resonance Warden can change the target of the attack to any of my monsters, or even myself. And now that you have no more monsters on the field, it's my turn now. And it really sucks to have to say this Shou, since you did just summon one hell of a powerful monster, but this duel is mine."

"You can't be serious; Silent Magician Level Eight is immune to spells, and your trap was clearly a bluff, or you would have activated last turn." Rei shook her head in response.

"No, to activate this trap, I need to fulfill a special set of conditions, and to fulfill those conditions I change Homonculus to Water and summon Resonace Warrior." Homonculus dropped to the ground, no longer lifted by the air and almost flowing into the ground. Resonance Warrior was a woman of average height holding a pair of red swords and 1700 attack points. "Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; when I control all four of these elements, I can activate my trap card, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!" The kanji for the four classical elements appeared in the air, hovering over their respective monsters and glowing ominously. "When I activate this trap, I get to choose one of four effects; I can draw two cards, force you to discard two cards, destroy all your spells and traps, or destroy all your monsters." A flurry of furious elemental force then descended upon Silent Magician Level Eight, crushing her deep below the earth. "Now, Resonance Warrior, attack directly!" With only 1200 life points left, Shou was taken down in two decisive cuts.

"You, you beat me?" Shou fell down, mouth agape, going over in his mind every move he made, and coming to the rather uncomfortable conclusion that he really did play his best all the way through. He had just been...outmatched.

"Yep, it was real close, but like Professor Chronos said in class the other day, the only life point that matters is your last one. So, it looks like you're not going off anywhere any time soon." Rei paused for a moment. "Oh, cheer up Shou, it isn't that bad!" She then lightly punched him in the shoulder, causing him to fall onto his back. He then realized just how down in the dumps his expression was, and promptly made it change.

"I know that Rei, I...I just guess I haven't gotten as far as I thought I had." He then got back up and patted himself off, unable to shake the sense of defeat off as easily as he would have liked.

"Well, look on the bright side; we'll both get to hang out with Judai more then if you'd taken off for Ra Yellow!"

As they headed back for the dorm, Rei mused to herself how simple, yet effective, her hurt/comfort plan was going to be, and if she played her cards right, Shou would help her out far more then he'd ever realize.


	7. Chapter 7

Demon's Drive to Prove, Momoe vs. Manjoume

"Really? You want me to duel Momoe for her promotion exam?" Manjoume stood across from Professor Chronos, who sat behind his desk looking at Manjoume's dueling profile.

"Indeed, Mr. Manjoume. While this is of course your decision to make, and I do have others in mind that I can fall back upon, there are two reasons why I think this particular match up, under these circumstances, would be the ideal. Please, take a seat, it would be much more comfortable, Mr. Manjoume." Manjoume took the seat offered him and looked at Professor Chronos at eye level now.

"The way you're talking about this, you're making this sound really important. And while it is for Momoe, I don't see why it would be for you." Professor Chronos leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk.

"Do you really think so? Hmm, I suppose that my enthusiasm in this matter is a little greater then is normal for me, but it is easily understood; during the latest faculty meeting our latest member of the faculty, Professor Saiou, off-handedly declared that Momoe would pass her promotion exam and Junko would fail hers. He refused to explain the source of his confidence, save that the cards told him; feh, as though he is capable of seeing card spirits. And even if he could, we both know that card spirits can't predict the outcome of a duel...can they?"

"No," Manjoume said, feeling the Light and Darkness Dragon hovering just behind him, "they can't, and they don't have to. I believe I'm beginning to grasp why you want me to face Momoe."

"Yes, you've definitely grasped one part of it; I believe that we both understand the need to make sure that the new guy doesn't get unduly arrogant, even if he does have an illustrious history outside of this academy. But, the fact is that even if not for the arrogance of a certain man's proclamations, I'd still choose you for this occasion. You see, the fact of the matter is that of all your peers, I believe that you are the one most qualified to act in this role, as the 'guardian at the gate', as our friend Professor Saiou so put it. Any student who wishes to be truly capable must first get past you, a point that was borne out with your friends Judai and Asuka."

At the mention of his losses to his friends, Manjoume found himself reflecting on them; True, both those loses decisively derailed his original plan at Duel Academia to become the number one ranked duelist for the Manjoume family, but in all honesty he had outgrown such childish needs. True, he hadn't and would never turn his back on his family, but the approval of his living brothers and his deceased parents no longer served as the motivating core of his actions. He was himself, and he would show the world that that was well more then enough. Manjoume then shook his head and looked back at the Light and Darkness Dragon, which was still there. He pointed to his deck, letting it know that it would be called upon before too long, and so it vanished back into his deck.

"I see. Well, Professor Chronos, your two points are very compelling. I think I will enjoy this match-up." Manjoume got up, but before he left Professor Chronos's office, he turned back. "Incidentally, who will be facing Junko?"

"Who?" Professor Chronos paused in thought. "Oh, her name was...Lena something. She's a third year Obelisk Blue who's currently repeating her third year and the only reason she's still in Obelisk Blue is due to a very, very generous donation from her father. I'd like to see Professor Saiou's prediction come true with these match-ups!"

* * *

"And that ends my turn, Manjoume!" Momoe looked down at the field that she'd established on her first turn; One Giant Orc with 2200 attack points, and four face down cards. Then she looked at the audience that had gathered for the duel; she could see Judai, Shou, and Rei in the audience in the audience, and she knew that Misawa, Asuka, and Edo were watching Junko's duel, which was taking place at the same time. Yeah, it would have been nice to have gotten to do another joint duel with Junko, but it was like she'd explained to Professor Midori; they'd gotten so used to being together all the time that they needed to try and stand apart more in order to be who they could be. And now, looking across at Manjoume, she saw an enemy that would force her to duel her hardest.

"Well now, no sense in rushing things, unlike you; I'm just going to summon Familiar Knight from my hand in defense mode." A masked knight in a red cape kneeled before Manjoume, before an ominous cloud spread from the Giant Orc and caused him to rise.

"Heh, my first trap card, Vile Lure, forcing your monster to attack my demon-type Giant Orc." The Knight raced forward, and for its trouble it was crushed to a pulp for 1000 points of damage.

"You impatience will cost you, Momoe! With Familiar Knight's effect, we each get to special summon a level four or lower monster from our hands to the field. And I don't need to tell you twice that...!" Manjoume stared as Momoe activated each of her remaining traps; Coffin Seller to deal 300 damage for every monster that got sent to his grave, Robbin' Goblin to force him to discard a card every time he took battle damage, and Robbin' Zombie which forced him to send the top card of his deck to the grave every time he took battle damage. And as it so happened, Momoe had not only sent the Rare Metal Dragon in his hand to the grave, but also the Dark End Dragon from his deck as well, and with three monsters sent to the grave, that was another 900 points of damage he'd taken. And this was just his first turn!

"Who's impatience will cost whom, huh Manjoume? Might want to get ready, I could end up rooming right next to you before long." Momoe said with a confident smile; she recalled a chance encounter with Professor Saiou the other day, and how he said he looked forward to her imminent victory. It was a 'thanks anyway' sort of situation, as the gesture was nice but not needed.

"Don't bother figuring out furniture arrangements yet, because you've changed nothing in the long run; with Familiar Knight's effect, I special summon Light Sprite Dragons from my hand in defense mode." The baby dragon's coiled together, safe from destruction so long as their master was unharmed.

"And I'll summon Second Goblin from my hand." A tan skinned little monster now stood by the Giant Orc's side, a domineering presence that the orc was keen to obey.

"And now I'll set one card to end my turn." Manjoume kept his face uncommunicative; he did not want to spoil the surprise of just how much Momoe had just helped him with her traps, as that would come on his next turn.

"Well then," Momoe said, looking at the only card in her hand, "I'll have to go ahead and summon Doomcaliber Knight in attack mode." A demonic warrior riding on viscious horse, wielding a terrible sword, that was the Doomcaliber Knight, possessing 1900 attack points to back its malicious gaze. "And then I equip Second Goblin to Giant Orc." The goblin leaped onto the orc's back, making it damn clear who the dominant party was in these parts. "That will be all for this turn; but Manjoume, you know you can't stand on your guard forever, right? With my Vile Lure, even your invincible Light Sprite Dragons can't help themselves." The baby dragons began to uncoil, tensing their jaws and claws for battle.

"Unfortunately for you, Momoe, this one turn was all that I needed; first, I sacrifice my Light Sprite Dragon's to summon the Light End Dragon!" The baby dragons were consumed in a flash of light, and in their place floated the heavenly Light End Dragon. "Further, at this time I activate my trap card Immortal Dragon, to bring back the Dark End Dragon that you sent to the grave!" The hellish Dark End Dragon arose from beneath the ground, phasing into being with new found life. "Now, the power of my dragons will tear through your demons as though they weren't even there, and to make sure that happens, I play Dragon's Devil Eyes." Two sets of glowing red eyes, one for each dragon, and two of Momoe's traps destroyed, Vile Lure and Coffin Seller. "Dark End Dragon, activate your effect to destroy the Giant Orc!" Dark End Dragon's second mouth opened wide, preparing to breathe a most deadly, life consuming flame. However, at that moment, Doomcaliber Knight's shield began to howl, and the demon warrior's spirit left its flesh to rush the Dark-End Dragon to its doom.

"Sorry Manjoume, but if you try to destroy something when Doomcaliber Knight is on the field, this is the price you pay." Manjoume then looked over to where his dragon once stood, but shook off the loss.

"At least it seems my dragon died facing a worthy foe. But your primitive Giant Orc is less then nothing to the shine of my Light End Dragon." Manjoume's second dragon stretched out and glowed brilliantly, dwarfing both orc and goblin rider, reducing them to ash and Momoe's life points to 2600. "Face it Momoe, with Light End on the field, you're never going to win another battle, leaving your remaining traps worse then useless. But don't worry, I'm sure you can hold out against me, the way I did against you." With this turnabout in the duel, a murmuring spread throughout the audience.

"Man, you guys weren't kidding; Manjoume and Momoe, they're both really good!" Rei said with a smile, mostly directed at Judai but with a little left over for Shou. They both took their eyes off the field momentarily to return Rei's smile.

"It just goes to show," Judai said with some pride, "that when something important's on the line, a duelist can pull out all the stops and show what they're really made of." Shou smiled, but it was somewhat forced despite himself.

"Yeah, hopefully Momoe will be able to repeat what she did against Dark End Dragon." Shou said as he wondered how well he would have done; if he had won against Rei, could he have then gone on to defeat Manjoume? His thoughts were put on hold as the sound of a strange yet familiar song took the field. All eyes were on Momoe as she removed each of her demons from the grave to summon the Dark Necrofear to the field.

"Okay Manjoume, you've got a choice to make; either you can let my Dark Necrofear destroy your Light End Dragon, or else I get to take it over. Either way, you're going to have to make that choice now!" Dark Necrofear narrowed her eyes at the dragon, and Manjoume knew that while it would be difficult to abide, he had no choice.

"Light End Dragon, Light Expansion!" The dragon shined once again, diminishing the power of the demon, but even as the light dissolved it, the spirit of the demon's doll survived, and as Momoe's turn came an end, the possession was complete; the Light End Dragon was now hers to command.

"Don't worry Manjoume, I'll take good care of your dragon; after all, the monster of an Obelisk Blue elite like this shouldn't be tossed aside so lightly." A slight chuckle now spread through the crowd, but Manjoume paid it no mind; the spirit of the Light and Darkness Dragon was still with him, he only had to focus to know that this was so.

"You've done pretty well, I'll grant you that, but I'll show you that when it comes to true skill and power, you still have a way to go. I summon Lance Lindwurm in attack mode, then set one card to end my turn." Despite the seeming advantage in strength that Lance Lindwurm possessed, Manjoume knew better then to rush against a monster whose power he'd demonstrated twice already.

"Nice and cautious, but lets see if I can't break you out of your shell; I play Trap Gift, sending both my traps to the grave to draw two cards. Next, I play Strength of the Darkness, increasing Light End's attack power by half of a Demon's attack power for this turn." Light End Dragon began to glow with a dark aura born of the spirit of the Dark Necrofear that possessed it. "Now, I attack your dragon with Light End, using its effect to win the battle!" Light End Dragon's inner light broke through the darkness, diminishing Lance Lindwurm's strength to almost nothing.

"Don't be so presumptous! Trap Card, Dragon Cry!" With that, Lance Lindwurm roared decisively, denying the opportunity for battle. Both the darkness and the light faded, leaving the Light End Dragon even more diminished then before. "You should stick to your demons, Momoe; my dragon's are too much for you to handle or to face, and with this opportunity lost you'll never overcome me."

"So you say Manjoume, but I wouldn't be so sure if I were you; I might have one last trick up my sleeve that'll get me right past you and into Obelisk Blue. I set one card, and end my turn."

"Well now," Manjoume said, looking at the card he just drew, thanking the Light and Darkness Dragon for having granted him this chance. "It looks like you're about to regret taking my Light End Dragon far more then you would have thought possible. I now sacrifice my Lance Lindwurm to summon the Shadow Dragon!" The Shadow Dragon arose from the ground in a pool of darkness, its form foggy and indistinct. Pale white eyes could be seen shining from within, giving it what definition it possessed. "Now, Shadow Dragon, attack Light End Dragon!" Light End Dragon attempted to use its power once more, but the Shadow Dragon's presence suppressed it, destroying it for 1300 points of damage and leaving Momoe with only 200 life points left. "And," Manjoume said, practically gloating as Momoe's trap was clearly a bluff, "in addition to negating the effect of a Light Monster, Shadow Dragon can attack again after destroying a Light Monster by battle. Go forth, Shadow Echo Breath!"

But as the Shadow Dragon prepared its final attacked, the ghost of the Dark Necrofear appeared on the field once more.

"Sorry Manjoume, but you should have held off on attacking me, because your attack activated my trap card, Demon Prejudice; when a demon monster is sent to the grave as the result of battle, I can remove that monster from the grave and deal damage to you equal to that monster's defense power."

"What! But..." Manjoume balked as he realized that as fast as his dragon could attack, the vengful demon spirit would strike faster still. And indeed like a bat out of hell, Dark Necrofear was upon him and with a concentrated psychic blast knocked him onto his back and dropped his life points to zero. He then felt the consoling presence of his dragon, its growling acting as an unneeded apology. Manjoume then drew himself back up and faced Momoe. "Hmm, you did...you did well. You should be able to do well in Obelisk Blue." Manjoume then stuck his arm out, and Momoe grabbed it in turn.

"Thanks Manjoume, that means a lot, especially from you." Momoe then let go and turned to the audience, and she was greeted by cheering from everyone. She smiled inwardly, knowing that if she was able to get by Manjoume by the skin of her teeth, there was no way that Junko could have lost to her opponent.

As Manjoume made his way down off the stage, he saw that Professor Chronos had made his way down and was standing before him with a rather apologetic posture.

"Relax, Professor Chronos. I lost; it happens." Manjoume then walked past him, then turned back. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to make a habit of it or anything."

"I won! I won, I won, I won!" Lenali Ouka was practically prancing across the field, leaving Junko still in shock, unable to comprehend the almost farcical nature of her defeat; a Rescue Cat One Turn Kill. Her Angels, had actually lost to a deck like that? And it wasn't just the deck that was the problem either, it was the duelist behind it too; as far as Junko Makita was concerned, Lanali Ouka was the kind of girl that gave the entire gender a bad name and would fuel an entire generation of dumb blonde jokes, even though she wasn't actually blond. You could see the highlights where the hair dye had been applied, and while most of the guys in the audience were far too absorbed to notice, she could see the evidence of 'padding' plain and clear; honestly, it was like she was trying to mimic Asuka and ended up copying a bad parody! But Junko realized that the sooner she got off the stage, the better, especially since Asuka was making her way down along with Misawa and Edo, and she was not in the mood for comfort.

"Junko!" Junko had been cut off by Asuka, who had sped up when she realized that Junko was going to walk away without saying anything. "Everyone has an off day; heck, it's even happened to me." Misawa and Edo made their way down as well, but they stood back, waiting.

"Maybe, but when was the last time you lost to someone like that?" Junko said, pointing to Lenali who was still hopping around in a fashion that led Junko to make an uncharitiable comparison to a bunny-rabbit. "Really, the worst part about this though is that if I couldn't manage to get past that...then what chance does Momoe have against Manjoume? I mean, I'm okay with only one of us making it through to Obelisk Blue, but the idea that neither of us would make it..."

"And why," Momoe called out, having just made her way into the adjacent dueling hall to her own, "would I not be able to pull through and kick Manjoume's pale butt?" She stood, smiling, while the rest of the gang stood behind her; even Manjoume was there, classily ignoring the crack against him, being above responding to such things. Junko then ran up to Momoe, light returning to her eyes.

"You mean it?" Momoe nodded, her smile full of pride. "I'm so proud of you!" Junko then hugged Momoe tight, partly hoping that this could help her let go of the lingering shame she'd felt."

"Heh, if that's how you feel, then we ought to celebrate while my stuffs still at the Ra Yellow dorm."

"Now that," Misawa said, already making his way out, "sounds like a great idea! I'll go let Momijii know, this would be a great opportunity for him to be around other people for a change!" With that, the decision was settled as to how the rest of the day was going to go, and as everyone made their way to the Ra Yellow dorm, Edo Phoenix began to think to himself.

"Saiou, did you forsee this as well?" Edo shrugged, accepting that whatever Saiou knew would be enough to ensure the smooth flow of their futures.


	8. Chapter 8

A Brilliantly Shining Party in the Night.

"Come on everybody, dig in the food's great!" Judai would know; he had already had a half-dozen prawns and was gathering a generous serving of rice for himself as well as Asuka. Momoe smiled, since this was after all her 'going-away' party, even if that term was a bit overly dramatic. After all, she was only leaving the Ra Yellow dorm, not Duel Academia itself. Still, this move was going to change things, and she wanted to hold onto her life as a Ra Yellow duelist for just a little longer. Speaking of, Momoe shifted her eyes over to Misawa and his new friend Momijii; she recalled the one time she tried to study with him, and it was, to be frank, a disaster, one that left her doing all the heavy lifting. But she was pleased to see that it didn't seem like Misawa was having that problem. She walked a little closer, quietly...

"Misawa," Momijii said quietly, forcing Momoe to listen closely, "I understand and appreciate what it is that you're trying to do, but I'm really not good with so many people in a room at the same time."

"Momijii," Misawa said, not being nearly so quiet, "this isn't just about that and you know it; Momoe's going to be leaving in the morning and while I know it's not something important in the big picture, you really should apologize to her." Momoe was pleasantly surprised; when Misawa had asked her and Junko what they'd known about Momijii and she mentioned the studying problem, she hadn't expected Misawa to do something like this. Momoe then cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the two Ra Yellow boys.

"It's awful sweet of you Misawa, to be so concerned about me on this night, but I don't think you should pester your new friend like that." She then turned to Momijii, who no longer displayed any emotion now that he was no longer facing Misawa. "Seriously, have a good time and grab a bite to eat, that's all that I want from you, okay?" Momijii nodded uncertainly and made his way to the food and looked it over; in addition to the aforementioned prawn and the rice, there were also noodles, both udon and yakisoba, as well as sushi and egg rolls and other entrees besides. As Momijii carefully chose the rolls of sushi that he desired, Momoe gave a quick wink to Misawa before moving on.

"Say that again, Edo." Momoe looked over to Manjoume, who seemed to still be sore about his defeat earlier that day despite all his assurances to the contrary. Why he would take this out on Edo Phoenix...

"All I said was that it was unfortunate for you to have faced Momoe when you did, but she was fated to win that duel no matter what. After all, that was the outcome that Saiou declared would be the case."

"Please, next you'll be saying that Professor Saiou predicted Junko loosing to that pathetic hairball." Momoe found this interesting; contrary to what some said, Manjoume did not freely insult his fellow duelists, even if he was tight lipped when it came to praise. So for him to say such a thing...And then Edo responded in a matter-of-fact manner.

"In a manner of speaking. Saiou takes a very real interest in what happens here at Duel Academia, and he decided to let me know. Surely this isn't some sort of petty...jealousy, is it Manjoume?" Despite his efforts, Manjoume couldn't hide how wide his eyes had gotten from Momoe, but before he had a chance to respond, Momoe decided to step in.

"Listen Edo, Professor Saiou may have gotten lucky with the outcomes of today's duels, but, and I say this with all the respect he deserves, he's going to learn very quickly that very few things happen as predicted around here." Edo smiled in a rather smug fashion in response, which Momoe felt would have had quite the effect on anyone who was 'compatible' to Edo.

"The two of you keep calling it prediction; Saiou is able to see the true light and as such knows the future. But in time, you will understand. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take this call outside." Momoe surmised that Edo must have set his cell phone to 'vibrate', but honestly didn't care whether or not Edo really was getting a call; so far as she was concerned, Edo was far too arrogant for his own good, and she definitely looked forward to the day that he had his ass properly handed to him. But enough of that, the party was still going strong!

"You know something Momoe?" Junko said as she walked up to Momoe, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm going to miss you. I know that it's stupid, since we can still see each other when we want to, but...you know." They both looked over to Judai and Asuka; the latter was sharing the contents of a letter from Fubuki with the former, and it seemed as thought the elder Tenjouin sibling had a rather amusing story about his trip to France, something about a very short pudgy duelist who insisted on being called Napoleon. Momoe and Junko then turned back to each other.

"Yeah, it won't be the same, but really, isn't this what we've been looking for? A way out of the rut we'd gotten ourselves into? Trust me, this will be the best thing to have happened to us, you'll see."

"I see, Saiou. Well then, I'll be sure to get him right away." Sometimes, Edo didn't understand Saiou, but he didn't have to; Saiou had always steered him and his family in the right direction ever since they'd met all those years ago, and there was not a part in Edo's heart that doubted the wisdom of his friend's words. He went back into the Ra Yellow dorm and looked around; it only took a moment to find Shou Marufuji, who was conversing with Rei Saotome. Whatever it was that they were talking about, it was going to be put on hold.

"Sorry to interrupt," Edo said to Shou, observing the niceties of the situation, as there was no need to be unduly rude about it, "but Saiou just called me and told me that he wants you to come to his office. He says it's quite important, though he won't say why." And Edo wasn't making that up; Saiou had expressly told him that this was too important for him to hear. True, he had gotten used to hearing everything from Saiou, so this deviance was unusual. But still, Saiou clearly had his reasons.

"Professor Saiou wants to see me?" Shou said with mild surprise.

"That's what the man said Shou." Rei said this in a rather flippant way, Edo thought; most near all the girls in Duel Academia were highly respectful towards him, almost fawning really. Yet this was not true of any of the ladies in the room. A mild annoyance, but only with regards to Asuka, who at least was moderately respectful, though not to the extent that he would have preferred. Again, no point in dwelling upon it, as this and all other things would fall into place, as they always had. "Go on, we can resume our chat later, and I'll be sure to let Judai know where you went."

Edo and Shou then departed the Ra Yellow dorm to make their way to Takuma Saiou's office in the Osiris Red dorm; the trip was uneventful, as neither party had anything to say to the other. Once they arrived at the door, Edo motioned Shou to the inside, and then departed for the Obelisk Blue dorm.

"Ah, Shou, it is very good to see you. Please, take a seat. I trust the servings at the party were most filling?" Shou was admittedly nervous; while he sensed nothing but good intentions from Professor Saiou, he was unable to operate on the pure faith that Edo Phoenix seemed to with regards to him. Still, he had to admit that the guest seat was soft and cushy.

"Yes, it was very good; Ms. Tome was able to bring in a lot of good food on really short notice." Takuma Saiou smiled congenially at that.

"Ah, Ms. Tome, a rather pleasant woman, and certainly not afraid to grab me by the ear for trying to get around policy." Saiou let out a soft chuckle at the memory, which left Shou even more confused. "No, I have to purchase cards just like everyone else, but fortunately the faculty allowance is quite generous for my needs. Now, before I explain why I explain why I wanted to speak to you, I'd like you to think about the duels your friends Momoe and Junko were in; focus as much as you can upon them." Shou did as asked, recalling Momoe's skilled use of Dark Necrofear and Junko's retelling of how if that dim bulb Lenali hadn't drawn Rescue Cat when she did, she would have won.

"Okay, but I'm not sure why..." Saiou had brought out a deck of unusual looking cards, clearly not Duel Monsters card, and shuffled them with his eyes closed; as he did, Shou noticed that the method that Saiou used resulted in several cards becoming upside-down, but before he could mention that Saiou was done, and placed the deck on the desk.

"Now, please cut my deck Shou, and then draw the top two cards." Shou did this, though he still didn't understand to what end this was for.

"The Chariot," Shou said to himself as he looked at the first card, and when he drew the second one he noticed that it was upside-down. He was about to turn it over when Saiou stopped him.

"Please, leave Fortune as it is; in The Tarot, whether the card is upright or reversed has a significant effect upon the reading. Now, The Chariot represents progress, achievement and moving to a new place; it also signifies the commanding of two opposing forces. And as for the Reversed Fortune, that signifies a temporary downturn, an obstacle that can't be overcome at the time despite appearances to the contrary. Tell me Shou, have you begun to understand?"

"Ye, Yes!" Shou could hardly believe what he'd seen, what he'd just heard, but this was plainly a genuine fortune! He'd overheard Manjoume's and Edo's argument over whether or not Professor Saiou really did know the future, but with this method, he would have to say that Edo had the right of it. "Can you, could you do a reading like this? For me?" Shou spoke quickly, tripping over his words.

"Of course Shou, that is, after all, why I called you here at this time." Saiou returned the two cards to the deck and shuffled as he spoke. "Now, for this reading I will need you to reflect on who you are deep inside, all sides of yourself. If you can do so, then this will allow me to advise you on what actions you should take in the future." Saiou finished shuffling, then took the five top cards and laid them out with one in the middle and one each to the left, right, above, and below. "Now, the one to your left, Shou, represents your past." Saiou turned it over, revealing The Magician in reverse. "Previously, you were indecisive, lacking in confidence, and it could also be the case that you placed your trust in someone you shouldn't have, someone who used their power over you to serve their own interests and not yours." As Saiou turned over the top card, Shou began to wonder whether or not Professor Saiou had known about his duel with Rei; that became clear in the next moment.

"And now Justice in Reverse. This confirms that The Magician was referring to bad advice, bad judgment. Recently, in fact."

"Yes! You, you really do know, don't you?" Shou had to admit that he had felt uneasy about accepting the terms of Rei's challenge, but now he knew; he knew that he should have listened to his inner voice and gone on to try for Ra Yellow. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to Rei, but bro seemed to be okay with her so I figured it wouldn't hurt. Thank you, Professor Saiou!"

"Please," Saiou said with a benign smile, "Let's not be so formal; the reading isn't even over yet. Call me Saiou; Edo does." Shou nodded as Saiou turned over the card in the middle, which caused him to fall back in his seat a little. "Oh, don't worry, The Death in upright position is a very auspicious card for you as you are now; it signifies a change is about to emerge within you, that the old you is going to be cast off as dead flesh, leaving behind the spiritually higher you that is ready to progress further on your journey." He then turned over the bottom card, The Tower, also in the upright position. "Indeed. Very interesting."

"What is?" Shou asked, right on the edge of his seat.

"The Tower involves a blessing in disguise; an unfortunate event that leads to a complete upheaval of your values, shall lead to a new opportunity, a wiser growth. This tells me that the reverse of The Magician and The Justice was necessary for you to have reached this point, this dip in the valley from which you can only rise higher and higher." Saiou then pointed to the card on the right. "This card shall point to your future. For weal or woe, it can't be denied. Are you ready, Shou?" Shou simply nodded his head, eager to see what was in store for him. Once Saiou turned the card over, Shou instinctively knew that this was 'weal'.

"The Star. Shou, this card is the mark of hope, of wishes being fulfilled, and most of all, an unexpected gift. Let me see your deck." Shou did so without any hesitation. Saiou looked it over, examining each card in turn. "Yes, the cards I mentioned earlier will go quite well with this deck, and the next time you duel, everyone will be able to see the potential that has laid hidden within you."

Shou's jaw was hanging wide open as Saiou made the changes to his deck. Finally, he spoke. "But, Pro...Saiou, are you really sure about this? I mean, this an awful lot you're doing for me, and...I don't even know how I'd begin making it up to you!" Saiou had just finished and returned Shou's deck to him.

"Me? Shou, this is about you. But, if you are so concerned about that..." Shou nodded vigorously in affirmation of that point, "Then all I ask of you, is to be the first member of my new student organization, The Association of Light."


	9. Chapter 9

The Dawn of the Light's True Power

"Morning Bro!" Shou called out as he opened the window to breathe the ocean air deep in. "Doesn't it just look beautiful outside, with the ocean reflecting the clear blue sky and the bright sun in the sky?" Judai wiped away the sleep from his eyes and looked at Shou, wondering why he was so chipper; he had dissapeared at some point during the party last night, and by the time he himself had gotten back he was dead tired and fell asleep in his uniform. Still, now that he was looking, it did look as though there was something different about Shou, though he couldn't put his finger on it...

"Shou, where did you get that white armband?" Rei said, having just returned from the bathroom and poking at it without waiting for an answer. "A.S.L? Is that some new club or something?" Shou then turned to Rei with a confident smile that seemed to hope to disarm.

"It stands for the Association of Light, and it's more then a club; it's an organization started by Saiou himself, dedicated to helping students like me achieve what they're destined to achieve, and for me, for today, that's getting promoted to Ra Yellow!" Whatever tiredness and slugishness remained in Judai was banished instantly by that declaration.

"Wow Shou, that sounds great! I'll be cheering for you one hundred percent!" He then noticed that Rei seemed both displeased and confused for no apparent reason. "Rei, is something the matter?" Maybe she just remembered something from earlier just then? In response to Judai's voice, Rei turned from Shou and faced him, her expression now conflicted between happiness and frustration.

"Oh, well, it's just that Shou and I had dueled the other day, and if he won he would be able to apply for the Ra Yellow promotion. But he lost, but now he's..." Rei then turned back on Shou, her voice recovering focus. "I haven't been here as long as you have Shou, but I do know that a real duelist always respects the terms of their agreement, no matter what. So if you apply for Ra Yellow now, then you're going to show everyone just what sort of 'destiny' your Association of Light is made of." Judai hadn't known about the duel between Shou and Rei, but he knew and could tell that Rei wasn't lying, which left him in the uncomfortable position of coming down from how happy he was for his friend.

"Shou," He said, trying to find a way to keep any sort of accusation out of play, "Is Professor Saiou trying to make you apply for Ra Yellow? Believe me, I definitely believe that you could make it, but you do have to keep your promises, no matter what they are; Professor Midori made we sure we got that all throughout the last year, right Shou?" Shou smiled evenly, as though unaffected and unconcerned by Judai's and Rei's words. He turned to face Rei, speaking evenly and clearly.

"Sorry Rei, I should have explained this part first; see, I'm a new person now. I mean, some parts of the old me are still present, but on the whole I've grown past what I used to be. The agreement that was made, was made with the old Shou and so it doesn't apply to me. If I'd realized my transformation was so imminent, I wouldn't have made that agreement when I did, and for that I appologize Rei." Then he turned to Judai, continuing to speak calmly, evenly, yet passionately. "Judai, Saiou knows. He knows everything there is to know, and he doesn't think that there's any sort of problem with my dueling to advance to Ra Yellow. You know bro, you should talk to Saiou, I'm sure that he could tell you all kinds of incredible things about your future and how to achieve your destiny. And really the same goes for you Rei; The Association of Light opens its arms to any and all who wish to walk in the Light." Both Osiris Red students looked at their friend quizzically, and it was Rei who found her tongue first.

"You know what?" She said, putting her hand to her forehead in a sign of resignation, "It doesn't really matter. It would have been nice for you to stick around here a little longer, but if you're really willing to do this just to wiggle out of our agreement, then I'm okay with it. Just don't come crying to me when it turns out that Professor Saiou's predictions aren't infallible." She then turned away from Shou and grabbed Judai's arm, tugging on it. "Come on Judai, let's leave mister high-and-mighty to his own devices for now; I'm sure he'll figure out who he ought to be listening to before long." Judai was honestly surprised by the force that Rei applied in pulling him along, and wondered where she was hiding her muscles. But after they got outside of the Osiris Red dorm Rei stopped dragging him along.

"Rei, maybe it's just me, but you took Shou's decision pretty personally, and while I don't like that he broke his word with you, it seems like it's more then that. Am I wrong?" Rei smiled in response, showing her appreciation for Judai's concern.

"I told you, and I told him all about my cousin and the promise I made with him, and how I came here to fulfill that promise. Shou...he just made me think of Araide and how he wandered off, which made me think that I wouldn't ever be able to duel him again." Judai looked at her for a moment, then patted her on the back.

"Ah, well I wouldn't worry about it like that; after all, even if Shou isn't in Osiris Red he'll still be here with his friends, and I'm sure you'll find your cousin again before you even know it! Now, you should hurry up to class, so that you can kick butt when the time comes!" Rei nodded cheerfully and ran off. After that, Shou stepped out.

"So Judai, have you thought about talking to Saiou?" He said somewhat insistently, like he was worried that Judai had forgotten what had been said all of two minutes ago.

"Well, to be honest Shou, I don't really want to know what's in store;" As he said this, the memory of the dream he had at the start of the year came back unbidden, as it had done on a few other occasions. "Besides, there's still time for me to change my mind if it comes to that." Shou nodded brightly in response.

"That's true. Well, I have to go see Saiou and find out who I'll be facing this afternoon. See you later Bro!"

* * *

"You know Asuka, I've got to tell you, the beds alone make this transfer worth it!" Momoe said as she patted down on the mattress, noting how it held the 'memory' of her hand for a few seconds. "Really though, it's like the icing on a rich and creamy cheesecake; nice, but doesn't compare to the real perks. By way of example, the preferential costs on new cards." She said, sweeping her arm in the direction of her desk, which had around two dozen packs of cards, still unopened.

"Really?" Asuka said in a bemused manner, recalling the last time that she and Judai had gone to the card shop, and how Judai didn't seem to notice or care about that detail. "Well, I'm glad that it's all that you expected it to be. I only wish things had been quite so smooth for me." Momoe looked at Asuka inquisitively, as though trying to find the lines of a latex mask, the surprising earnestness of which caused Asuka to giggle. "Okay, clearly that wasn't going to fly at all. Yeah, aside from the occasional jerk and stuck-up snob, Obelisk Blue really is the home away from home that I always imagined."

"Really?" Momoe said, stepping back from her faux-investigative pose, "You've 'always' imagined something like that, and it was like this?"

"Well, yeah. It's not that weird, is it?" Momoe shook her head.

"No, especially not for you. Even here in Duel Academia, there's not that many who are as dedicated to dueling as you." At that point they heard a knocking at the door, and when Momoe opened it, it was Manjoume, grinning in a rather manic manner.

"Hello Momoe, hello Asuka. I thought I'd let you two know the good news personally; Professor Saiou, for whatever foolish reason, wants me to duel Shou for his promotion exam."

"And this is good news because...?" Momoe said, waving her hand in a circle, hoping to prompt an answer. Manjoume provided.

"Because it means that Edo will get to see that his 'friend' isn't infallible. I mean, yeah, Shou's gotten pretty strong and he'll provide a good duel, but it's simply impossible for him to win. Trust me, I've refined my deck well beyond what he's capable of. He'll never see it coming."

* * *

"Is that all you're going to do Manjoume? Summon one monster in defense mode, then end your turn?" The duel had just begun, and Shou was pleased by the turnout; everyone, friends and faculty alike, they'd all arrived to watch his duel. He knew that he would have to thank Saiou for this as well as everything else that the man had done for him.

"Heh, you underestimate Totem Dragon at your own peril Shou." The dragon in question was a small creature despite a rather long spindly looking neck that ended in a row of smashing teeth. Aforementioned neck was at present curled around it's body protectively. "Why don't you show me the power that Professor Saiou is so confident can overcome me and my dragons." Shou smiled eagerly and made sure that his white armband was firmly in place, displaying its name for the audience to read.

"Okay Manjoume, if you say so. I start by summoning Magical Exemplar from my hand, and then I play the field spell card Magical City of Endymion!" An ancient tower appeared behind Shou, surrounded by six other smaller buildings that were suspended in the air by a powerful arcane force. "Every time a spell card is activated, a spell counter is added to Magical City of Endymion. Further, by activating this spell, Magical Exemplar gained two spell counters, and I remove them both to special summon my level two Apprentice Magician in defense mode, and his effect allows me to add a spell counter to Magical City." One of the six floating towers began to glow as a symbol of power appeared on it. "Next, I play Spell Power Grasp, whose effect allows me to add a spell counter to a valid target. Thus, two spell counters for my City, and two for my Exemplar." Two other towers began to glow in a similar fashion to the first. "And in addition, Spell Power Grasp allows me to add another to my hand, though I'm only allowed to activate one per turn. Now, Magical Exemplar, attack Manjoume's Totem Dragon!" Magical Exemplar struck with a solid sphere of magic, smashing the Totem Dragon into ash.

"Ah, and here I was thinking that all the spells you've been tossing off were going to build to something impressive. I guess not all sound and fury can amount to something." Shou continued to smile, unaffected by Manjoume's words.

"Oh, that attack wasn't what was meant to do damage to you. This is; Magical Blast." Apprentice Magician and Magical Exemplar then pooled their power together, and used that bolt of magic to deal 400 points of damage to Manjoume. "It just didn't feel right to have something in the way and risk blocking the Light from reaching you fully."

"First of all, four hundred damage is nothing to be proud of, and second, you do realize that parroting Professor Saiou like that won't get you any extra credit, right?" Manjoume said, possibly harsher then he'd meant. Shou didn't mind at all.

"That's okay, I believe in Saiou's words, and his words tell me that I'm going to win. I now activate Arcane Barrier." A statue of a wizard now appeared, and above it floated a pale circle of runes. "Every time a spellcaster is destroyed, I get to add a spell counter to Arcane Barrier. Turn end."

"My turn!" As Manjoume drew his next card, he noted that four towers were glowing, four spell counters; what effect was this card building towards? Whatever it was, it would be irrelevant, as would all of Shou's spells. "And now I activate Totem Dragon's effect in the standby phase; since I only have dragon-type monsters in the grave and no monsters on the field, I can special summon it back to the field, but when summoned in this manner, Totem Dragon is removed from play rather then going to the grave. And when sacrificed to the summon of a dragon monster, Totem Dragon counts as two monsters." Manjoume could feel it, the power rushing around him, gathering into his hand. "Shou, if you believe that Saiou's 'Light' can bring you victory, then test it against this, my most powerful and treasured monster, Light and Darkness Dragon!" The dragaon's roar echoed across the field, and Professor Chronos led many in applauding the arrival of such a powerful monster so early in the duel. "Dark Baptism!" Light and Darkness Dragon breathed a concentrated beam of darkness, consuming the brilliantly glowing Magical Exemplar for 1100 points of damage. The innermost circle of runes above the Arcane Barrier began to glow, but Light and Darkness Dragon's power sealed it off, preventing it from drawing from the spellcaster's demise.

"Well done Manjoume, but not good enough." A low humming now filled the field as not only all the floating towers were glowing with power, but the main tower itself now had four glowing runes. "When a monster with spellcounters is destroyed, I can transfer those spell counters to Magical City of Endymion, and since that was the second step of the chain, Light and Darkness Dragon was unable to negate it. Face it Manjoume, coupled with the darkness, your dragon can't hope to save you against the true Light of my spellcasters." Manjoume's eyes narrowed at Shou.

"Don't even imagine that you can get away with insulting Light and Darkness Dragon; she's been with me for too long for me to put up with that! Go ahead, make whatever move you want, I don't care." Manjoume reminded himself that Shou had started it with that insult; if anyone had a problem with his attitude, tough shit. It certainly didn't seem like he was going to be getting any attitude from Shou.

"You may feel that way right now Manjoume, but when I win this duel, your path to enlightenment will begin. Now, in place of drawing, I will instead activate the effect of Magical Blast in my grave and add that to my hand. Next, I play it." A hammer blow of lightning smashed the beginnings of the Magical Blast. "Next, I play Spell Power Grasp." And as before, the magic was crushed by Light and Darkness Dragon's power, this time denying him even the chance to add another card to his hand. For a moment, those in the audience wondered why Shou was throwing away good after bad, but Manjoume understood.

"I see; you think you can just insult my Light and Darkness Dragon by wasting her power, do you? Well, as you're about to learn, their's a price for that kind of arrogance! I summon Armored Dragon, and attack Apprentice Magician with Light and Darkness Dragon, Shining Breath!" A now thin, but still powerful burst of light destroyed the Apprentice Magician, and another bolt of dragonic power prevented Apprentice Magician from summoning another spellcaster from Shou's deck, leaving him open to Armored Dragon's direct attack. The consuming flames that followed left Shou with only 1000 life points, but he showed no sign of being affected by this at all, and it was then that Manjoume noticed the spell counter that had accumulated upon the Arcane Barrier, represented by the glowing inner circle of the runic array.

"Wow, I've got to say Manjoume, it's one thing knowing that you're going to win, but it's a whole 'nother thing to live and experience it. Trust me, you're going to love this feeling too." Manjoume couldn't help growling; it was one thing to be confident, but this was ridiculous, especially since Shou had yet to do more then inflict a minor pinprick of damage.

"Tell you what Shou; since you are so confident, if you do win, I will go and have a little chat with Professor Saiou about joining his 'Association of Light'. But, if I win, you have to drop out of it, and since you're the only member right now, that means the little club will be gone." As he said this, he shot a glance over to Edo; he wanted it to be clear that he was going to show the spoiled prince that...well, he knew damn well what was about to be proved. No need to go over it again repetitiously, over and over again, like a poorly paced anime.

"Thanks Manjoume, I was waiting for that. Now, I'll summon Mage Knight Defender in defense mode, and end my turn." A spellcaster kneeling behind a tower shield appeared, a glowing gem embedded in the shield and possessing 2000 defense points. As the gem glowed brighter, Light and Darkness Dragon's power struck one last time, preventing the spell counter from being placed on this monster as well.

"You must think you're so clever, having pointlessly whittled away Light And Darkness Dragon's power. Allow me to show you how mistaken you are. I now sacrifice Light and Darkness Dragon and Armored Dragon, to summon Light End Dragon! And furthermore, since I sent a dragon to the grave, I now activate Guidance of Light and Darkness, removing Light and Darkness Dragon to special summon Dark End Dragon from my hand!" The twin roars of the mighty dragons echoed across the field, silencing the audience. "Even when in the grave and beyond, Light and Darkness Dragon will always bring me victory." Yet even with this overwhelming display of power, Shou was not afraid, as yet another symbol appeared upon the Magical City of Endymion.

"So you say Manjoume, but I can see it, the doubt and fear that lies in your soul. Someone like you, who has not yet seen the true Light, still walking the path between it and the darkness, can't overcome me." Manjoume snarled, again more defensively then he meant to.

"Have you gone mad? Let me show you the power that comes from walking the path that I do! Dark End Dragon, Dark Evaporation!" Dark End Dragon's second mouth opened and a deathly fog issued forth, and wrapped around the Mage Knight Defender. But rather then being dragged to his death, the latest of the symbols of the Magical City faded instead, preserving the Mage Knight Defender."

"Is that all Manjoume? I'm not impressed. When Mage Knight Defender is on the field, I can remove a spell counter to prevent a spellcaster monster from being destroyed."

"Is that so? Then just as you burned away my dragon's life, I'll burn the strength out of your city! Dark End Dragon, attack!" Black fire failed to kill the mage, another symbol lost to time. "Now, attack Light End Dragon!" This time, the Mage Knight Defender did perish; it took Manjoume a moment to realize this, a moment brought about when he noticed the second circle of runes orbiting above the Arcane Barrier. "Now what are you playing at Shou? Did you come all this way just to throw the match? Just to throw doubt on my name?" Manjoume could see it, a glimmering aura that surrounded Shou, and something about it made his blood boil over. Shou just shook his head.

"Not true Manjoume. You might not see it, but for me, who can see the Light, the path to victory is clear. It really, really is Manjoume," He said with much joy in his voice, "and I look forward to seeing you like this too."

"Heh, that'll be the day," Manjoume said with a dismissive sneer; even in the unlikely event that he did lose, his chat with Professor Saiou would change nothing. "I set one card, and end my turn." Shou would regret tossing away his only monster on the field; with no cards in his hand, the odds of him getting a new monster that could ever last even one attack were nill.

"Very well then Manjoume, I now summon the Magical Plant Mandragola." A strange sort of human/flower hybrid grew up from the ground, and its wailing cry fed strength to both the city and the barrier. "And now that Arcane Barrier has three spell counters on it, I send it and Magical Plant Mandragola to the grave and draw one card per spell counter on Arcane Barrier." There was a flash of light as the Arcane Barrier collapsed, and when sight returned to Manjoume, he saw that Shou was holding three cards in his hand.

"Tch, what good will that do you? You have no monsters, no normal summon left, all that you have is that worthless field spell card who's only purpose seems to be to soak up spell counters." Shou then flashed a deadly grin that caused Manjoume to step back.

"The true role of the Magical City of Endymion will now be revealed; by removing six spell counters from it, I can special summon the supreme lord of that city, the Divine Deity, Endymion!" Coruscating beams of arcane power shot out of the floating towers and gathered at the very top of the central tower. From that immense magical force, Endymion emerged, dressed in an elaborate black robe and wearing a an enormous prayer ring on his back, with 2700 attack points altogether. "Now, when summoned in this fashion, Endymion allows me to return a spell card from my grave back to my hand; I think I'll take back the spell power grasp that you negated earlier on." Endymion then held his staff aloft, gathering a new storm of power. "And now for Endymion's final effect; once per turn, by discarding a spell-card from my hand, I can destroy one card on your side of the field. I now discard Mage Power to destroy Light End Dragon." That storm of power then descended upon the Light End Dragon, tearing it apart mercilessly.

"Don't think that you can act with such impunity, Shou Marufuji! Your spell caster may win the battle but not the war!" Endymion responded for Shou, striking down Dark End Dragon for 600 points of damage. "And now that you destroyed Dark End, I activate my trap card Dragon's Bond to special summon Wish Dragon from my deck in defense mode." Shou shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Wow Manjoume, you're really putting your all into this duel. But as I've said before, it won't make any difference, because I'm fated to win this duel. I now play Spell Power Grasp, adding two spell counters to Magical City of Endymion, add another Spell Power Grasp from my deck to my hand, and end my turn."

"And now it's my turn! I sacrifice my wish dragon to summon two wish dragon tokens, then I summon Bomb Mine Dragon in defense mode, and set one card to end my turn."

"Manjoume, I think it's time I finished this. I now activate Magical Blast's effect, and add it from the grave to my hand in place of drawing a new card. Next, I discard Spell Power Grasp to destroy your Bomb Mine Dragon." Another storm, another death. "Next, I play Magical Blast, dealing two hundred points of direct damage to you." Manjoume took this blow in stride, not wavering at all. "Now, I'll have Endymion attack one of your wish tokens." As Endymion prepared his magic, Manjoume burst out in a manic grin.

"Hah, I knew your pride would get the better of you! If you had bothered to destroy my face down card, you could have won, but no such luck for you today! I activate my trap card, Twilight Destruction; I activate it while I have exactly two dragon monsters on the field, and a light dragon and a dark dragon that are both above level four in my grave. I get to sacrifice my dragons to summon either the light or dark dragon in my grave, and then I can destroy all the cards on your side of the field and in your hand!" Both tokens vanished, replaced by the Dark End Dragon, who emerged from a tornado of light and shadow that continued onto Shou's side of the field, shattering Endymion like a glass-work of art. But as the twilight power passed over the city, it survived. "What!?" Shou smiled a simple smile in response.

"Whenever Magical City of Endymion would be destroyed, I can simply remove a spell counter from it to prevent it's destruction. Furthermore, do you recall how Endymion was summoned previously?" Manjoume's eyes were wide with shock; he couldn't possibly be... "Yes Manjoume, by removing six spell counters from the Magical City of Endymion, the Divine Deity Endymion can be special summoned from the grave" An ominous chanting seemed to echo from the underworld, heralding the arrival of the new lord of all magic. "And since Endymion was special summoned through the city's effect, I can now add a spell card from my grave to my hand. And since Endymion has been summoned anew, I can activate his other effect once more, and discard that card to destroy your Dark End Dragon." A storm of pure light washed over Manjoume's dragon, destroying it once more. "That was a potent trap, but clearly not enough against me. Shall we continue this struggle to the bitter end, before you aquiesce to the Light?" Manjoume drew his next card and looked at it, smiling confidently.

"I set one card, and end my turn." He knew; Shou would add Magical Blast back to his hand, and then discard it to destroy his face down card. It was a bluff, as the card was only The Two Sides. But it would earn him another turn.

"You don't get it, do you Manjoume? I'm enlightened, I have seen the Light, and that means that your bluff is meaningless to me. I add Magical Blast back to my hand." A moment of silence passed as the immensity of what was about to pass began to overwhelm Manjoume. A decisive loss, the second such loss, again under such circumstances, even with the help of the Light and Darkness Dragon; these were the thoughts rushing incohately through Manjoume's head. "And now I activate Magical Blast for another two hundred points of damage." Manjoume began to wonder what the hell he was doing; Shou was winning, had won. Should he also look past his own pride, his partnership, to achieve victory in that same manner? "And now, Endymion attacks directly." with only 2600 life points left, Endymion's 2700 attack power was sufficient to end the duel. And as the light of Endymion's magic washed over Manjoume, he saw the two roads ahead of him, and clearly saw where the road he had been on had been taking him. Seeing that, he turned away from it without hesitation.

"All right Shou. I think I can take the time to have a word with Professor Saiou. If his Association of Light can lift you this far, who knows what it could do for me." And Takuma Saiou smiled, as the fate that he'd predicted unfolded before him, the wheel of fate turning as it should.


	10. Chapter 10

The Shadow That is Cast by the Light, The Dragon

"Ah, what a pleasant night; just the kind of night to make a girl forget her worries and frustrations, especially the stupid pointless one's that you can't do anything about in the first place." Junko Makita said to herself, looking at the full moon's reflection in the river as she walked alongside it; even the unconstant moon, reflected in the running water, seemed more stable to her then the events of the past few days. First it had been Momoe advancing against Manjoume while she herself had faltered against that empty headed twit Lenali. Then Shou defeated Manjoume to advance to Ra Yellow and...that was when things started to get really weird; Manjoume actually joined that Association of Light! He went to Professor Saiou's office, and when he came out he had that A.S.L armband on that Shou had been wearing since after Momoe's party.

Afterwards, the two would spend their spare time trying to get as many other students to join, hardly ever spending any time in their respective dorms; According to Junko, while a few Obelisk Blue students had joined following Manjoume's 'preaching', the vast majority laughed it off, saying that Manjoume and Shou were acting like cult members on a recruiting drive. Momiji seemed to become particularly attentive whenever the subject of the Association of Light was brought up, yet every time Shou asked, he refused as though he didn't have to think about it. And according to Rei, everyone in Osiris Red looked to Judai's steadfast decision to stay out of the Association of Light and could not be convinced otherwise.

Still, while things were always strange in Duel Academia, this was a very different sort of strange, and as Junko walked along, she noticed a large set of rocks in the river, acting as an ineffectual dam; while slowed down, interrupted, the river flowed around those rocks and through whatever little gaps there were, and in the years to come, erosion would see to it that those rocks would be gone and no longer able to impede the river's will at all. "Is something like that happening here? Is something going to pave the way for Professor Saiou's 'Association of Light'? Junko then stopped, and started laughing. "Yeah right, and even if he did take over, so what? What's Professor Saiou going to do, have everyone build giant light bulbs or something?" Junko continued to laugh at the farce of it all, and then she heard someone approach; someone had just snapped a twig beneath their foot, and in her self-consciousness Junko ceased laughing and turned to face that person, and in the full moonlight she saw who it was. It was very definitely, unambiguously, the last person that she ever wanted to see, under any circumstances, ever.

"Hello, Junko Makita." Lenali Ouka said this in a very un-Lenali tone; it was grounded, even. Not a bit of bubble gum pop or light headed blonde hair dye to it at all. "Why haven't you joined the Association of Light?" Junko rolled her eyes; like she was going to discuss something like that with this twit. Junko didn't even know why the airhead cared, as she lacked the telltale white armband that marked the members.

"Because there's no point to it; I mean, what is it even for? So far the only thing anyone in that club has done has been to sport a 'holier-then-thou' attitude and...really, that's it. From where I'm standing, Professor Saiou's just on an ego trip from guessing the outcomes of a couple of duels. Trust me, Lenali, your victory against me was a one-of-a-kind fluke that has never before and will never again transpire in the history of Duel Monsters." Junko then turned to walk away, but Lenali said something.

"Junko, why do you insist on lying to everyone? You were overpowered, outplayed. In the end, on your own, you were not as strong as you thought you were, but Momoe was. You lost due to your own weakness, and so long as you keep making this excuse, you will continue to lose. Your deck is truth, honesty, and so long as you do not embrace the Light and continue to deny your solitary weakness, you will continue to lose, and drag down the destiny that you are meant to follow." Junko stopped and turned around, her eyes narrow, trying to see through this girl before her; she was most certainly not Lenali, she was far too intelligent for that.

"Weak?" Junko said with a snide grin. "You know, I have a habit of kicking the ass of anyone who says that about me. And guess what?" Junko armed her Duel Disc. "You're no exception, 'Lenali'." The last word was said with a sneer. "Besides, I already know a thing or two about the light." As Junko said this, she recalled her victory against the Mirage of Deceit, and felt herself invigorated.

"And yet, what you do know fails to encompass one of the most important principles of the Light. I will demonstrate that in this duel." 'Lenali' armed her duel disc, and signaled to Junko that she would have the first turn.

"You're going to regret that decision. I start by playing The Sanctuary in the Sky from my hand, and then I play Valhalla Hall of the Fallen." The environment of the duel changed instantly, becoming a holy land that glowed in the moonlight, heavenly clouds diffusing that moonlight across the field. "And now with Valhalla I will special summon Athena from my hand, and then I normal summon Shining Angel, and with Athena's effect you take six hundred points of damage." The goddess of strategic war welcomed the arrival of her ally, and shined a beam of light directly onto 'Lenali' before turning to give Junko a quick smile. "Now I'll set one card to end my turn." Junko kept her face unmoved; the only way this twit was going to destroy Athena was if she special summoned a monster, and that was where Black Horn of Heaven would come in.

"To those who do not see, it would indeed seem as though you command the power of the light quite well. But you've allowed a shadow to creep in and obscure your light. I shall now remove it with this card, Dark World Lightning." A black bolt of lightning leaped down from the heavens and smote Junko's face down trap. "Further, once Dark World's effect has been activated, I must then discard another card. And in discarding Gren Tactician of Dark World, I activate his effect and destroy your Sanctuary in the Sky." The phantasmal image of a demon in a green cape appeared and let loose sickly green rays of light that destroyed Junko's Sanctuary. "For the Light to achieve its true strength, it must cast out the darkness; otherwise, their fates are forever bound to one another."

"All right, that's enough." Junko said, trying to clear her head. "Who the hell are you? There's no way that you're Lenali." 'Lenali' closed her eyes as she responded.

"And now you drown yourself deeper into the darkness in order to avoid the Light of truth. I now summon Brron the Mad King of Dark World." A grinning demon whose tongue hanged loose out of his open mouth and a crown clawlike bones, the Mad King had 1800 attack points. "And now Brron will attack your Shining Angel, beginning your fall from the Light." The leering demon crawled across the ground like a spider, then grabbed the Shining Angel by the ankle and smashed him against the ground for 400 points of damage.

"Hah, shows what you know; Shining Angel's death let's me special summon another light monster with 1500 attack or less from my deck, and when that monster is summoned, Athena will...Athena!" It was then that Junko saw the spectral image of a demonic hunchbacked demon that leaped across the field and buried his knife into Athena, destroying her.

"When Brron deals battle damage, I can then discard one card from my hand; I chose to discard Kahkki Guerilla of Dark World, thereby allowing me to destroy one monster on the field." It was then though that a beam of light reflected off of Athena's fallen shield and impacted 'Lenali' for 600 points of damage. This caused Junko to smirk at her opponents look of confusion.

"Looks like someone needs to brush up on their timing rules; as the turn player, your effect is activated first, which means my monsters go after yours in the chain. So Athena gets her last hurrah after all." 'Lenali' shook off the look of shock on her face, and for a moment seemed to regard her opponent with...respect?

"So it would seem. At times the rules of this game can be most frustratingly arcane, even for someone who walks the shadows in the service of the Light. I set one card to end my turn." As the card appeared on the field, Junko let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, no kidding you walk in the shadows; your whole strategy is hidden by discarding for your effects, and you've come here in disguise to...seriously, what the hell are you even doing here? Don't bother answering that now, I want to savor my victory over you first. I'll now sacrifice my Shining Angel to summon Airknight Parshath. Airknight, attack!" The centaur angel raced across the field to slay the Mad King, but an ominous shadow shaped like a winged serpent blocked his path.

"I activate my permanent trap card, The Dragon's Sacrifice; once per turn, I can negate one attack, after which I must discard one card from my hand. And in this case, the card I chose was Broww the Huntsman of Dark World." The image of the demonic huntsman appeared for a flash, long enough to fire an arrow into the air, only for it to become a card on the way down. "His effect allows me to draw one card." Junko's eyes went wide as she began to ponder.

"The...Dragon's Sacrifice?" She said more to herself then to her opponent. "Her deck doesn't seem to have any dragons in it...but, isn't there another context where 'The Dragon' gets used?" Unfortunately, every time she tried to pinpoint that context, she could feel a burning presence against her mind's eye, which kept her from seeing. She then shook it off as something to be taken care off after she won. "Whatever. My turn's over, let's see you do anything against Airknight Parshath. You won't be discarding anything with that Mad King of yours, that's for sure."

"Your confidence is misplaced. I equip Bronn with Big Bang Crush, raising his attack power by four hundred and allowing his attack to penetrate defense." Now the Mad King's feet were lined with strangely futuristic boots, which he used to leap high into the air before performing a hammer blow upon Airknight Parshath, caving his head in for 300 points of damage. "And with that, I can discard one card from my hand. And when Goldd Wu-Lord of Dark World is discarded, I can special summon him from the grave." The demon in gold armor rushed across the field and swung his axe across Junko's body for 2300 points of damage. "You do not belong here in the shadows, Junko Makita. Return yourself to the true Light, and enter the Association of Light. It is where you belong."

"Whoever you are, you've got some sort of connection to Professor Saiou. Yeah, I'll bet he's got you blackmailed or something, forcing you to waste your time like this." Junko said as she rubbed her head, trying to get rid of the headache that seemed to have suddenly descended upon her. She wanted to say that it had something to do with some sort of shadow powers, except it didn't. Except...

"Who I am and why I do what I do are none of your concern. Take your turn."

"Yeah, like I expected anything different. All right, I'm going to play Grace of Light; I get to draw three cards, but then I have to remove from play a level five or higher Light Angel monster from my hand, or else I have to remove my entire hand from play. Fortunately, I already had Agent of Judgment in my hand, so I'll just be removing that from play. Now, since Valhalla is still on the field, I use that to special summon Zolga from my hand and then sacrifice that to summon Tethys the Goddess of Light, which allows me to gain two thousand life points from Zolga's effect. And then I equip Tethys with the Cestus of Dagla, raising her attack power by five hundred, to a total of twenty-nine hundred. Now Tethys, attack her Mad King, and show my opponent some real light." Tethys raised her cestus above her head and fanned out her wings, glowing so brightly that it disintegrated Bronn for 700 damage, which the Cestus absorbed and transfered to Junko. "Next time, you might want to reconsider discarding your whole hand so quickly. Especially when you have a trap card that depends on you holding onto one last card for safety's sake."

"Indeed." She said in a tone of concession that Junko had not expected. "I should not have underestimated you; that will not be a problem from this point on. I now play The Dragon's Return; with this card, I send one spell or trap card that I control to the grave, send the top two cards of my deck to the grave, and then draw two cards." The shadow of the Dragon that lied in wait was gone now. "Now, I set one card to end my turn."

"What?" Junko said, raising an eyebrow. "You're not even going to change Goldd to defense mode?"

"There's no point. You'll see."

"Fine, I activate Tethys's effect; every time I draw an angel card, I can show it to you to draw again. So let's see, Nova Summoner, Shining Angel, ah this should be good. Yeah, I'll discard Nova Summoner to equip Tethys with Twin Swords, allowing her to attack twice at the cost of five hundred attack points. Then I summon Shining Angel. Well, looks like I've got this wrapped up."

"So it would seem. I now activate my trap card, Altar for Tribute." A demonic hand reached up from beneath the ground and held Goldd in its palm, crushing the life out of it. Literally, as all its attack power became life points for 'Lenali'.

"What the hell was the point of that? Now you have nothing on the field, and I'll still do more then enough damage to defeat you. Watch, I'll show you. Shining Angel, attack directly." The four winged angel flew high up before diving down, striking in a flyby attack for 1400 points of damage. "Now Tethys, attack!" Tethys held both sword and cestus together to create a beam of light, dealing 2400 hundred points of damage. "And now I attack again for the...win?" A strange shadow was now emerging on the field before her opponent.

"When I take damage while controlling no cards on the field, I can activate the effect of this card from my hand, and special summon The Messenger of Hades, Gorz!" A redheaded figure hiding behind a mask, carrying blades that looked deadly and unwieldly, yet the 2700 attack power that he possessed said other wise. "And when that damage is battle damage, Gorz is allowed to special summon a Kaien token with an attack power equal to the damage I just took." The second figure had a decidedly feminine cast to her, as though complimentary in design to Gorz in more then one way. Junko realized that this was why both the trap was activated, and why her opponent waited for the second attack. Finding herself at an impasse, Junko ended her turn.

"And now I activate my spell card, The Dark that is Driven by the Light; by sacrificing a Light type monster on my field equal in level to a dark monster on my field, that dark monster can attack again every time it destroys a monster in battle." For a moment, it seemed to Junko as though something more was happening then just the effect of a situational yet powerful card, for she could have sworn that she saw Gorz turn to Kaien, as though pleading with her not to do this, yet Kaien made the sacrifice all the same. And even behind his mask, the fury that Gorz held in his eyes for his enemies could not be denied. He broke Tethys's weapons as he struck her down, and mercilessly slew the Shining Angel and the Nova Summoner that followed. The next Nova Summoner and the Agent of Wisdom after that were in defense mode, but they both fell quickly, and Gorz struck directly, and Junko could have sworn that if he could have, Gorz would have killed her dead on the spot.

Of course, it was hard to concentrate on account of her headache becoming decidedly far more intense then before. "You're...you're doing something to me, aren't you? You're...you're trying to brainwash me or something, I know it." Junko's opponent spoke quietly, almost whispering, yet her voice could be heard clearly over the rushing water of the river.

"All I'm doing is pushing you in the right direction. With this duel, you will be one with the Light, as you are meant to be."

"Yeah? Well, we'll see about that. I set one card, and end my turn."

"And now I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your face down card." Negate Attack was gone, Junko had nothing left to protect her. "Gorz, attack directly."

* * *

"Yes, what is it?" Takuma Saiou had not been asleep long when he heard the knocking, and was quite thankful that his guest had the patience to wait for him to put on his bath robe and answer the door, as opposed to just barging in. Still, why Junko Makita of Ra Yellow had come to his room/office in the middle of the night was not yet clear to him; he hadn't bothered to perform any readings for the evening, as everything was proceeding as planned.

"Master Saiou, please, let me join the Association of Light. That is all that I want, so that I may know my future and fulfill it in your name."

"...Look in to my eyes." Saiou stated, and she obeyed, which was quite contrary to his understanding of her. Yet what he saw informed him of what he needed to know, at least in part. He would have to speak to another party to learn more. "Very well, we shall discuss your membership in the morning, but all members of the Association of Light must always be well rested to greet the dawn." Junko nodded pleasantly.

"Of course, Master Saiou. Thank you so much for your time, I promise to do all that I can for you." Junko departed. Takuma Saiou then closed the door and proceeded to the mirror that he kept in his closet; it was a full length mirror, seven feet tall, and he looked intently into it.

"Mizuchi, why are you doing this. Don't you trust me?" He said in a tone that he had no cause to use with anyone else on the island; he spoke in honest deference, concern, questioning. As he looked in the mirror, his image was replaced with that of his younger sister.

"Saiou, it has already been a full month, and you've recruited less then a half a dozen students to your cause. You are being far too gentle." She herself spoke in a gentle tone, one that sought to reassure that she did not believe his gentleness was a weakness. "You told me that you would not hesitate when you left, and yet you are."

"Mizuchi, Momiji is here. He doesn't remember, at least not consciously, but that fact alone speaks as to why I keep my hand soft here; I must bring these students to the Light, not cast them out in to the darkness, wandering cold and alone. I can't force the Wheel of Fate, not so long as he is here to remind me of the consequences of that hubris." Mizuchi reached her hand out, and while it could not reach through the mirror, Takuma placed his hand on hers, almost as though they were bridging the distance between them.

"I understand my brother. But while you must keep yourself pure and white, I will dinge myself into the darkness for you. We have waited too long now. We have suffered too much from the darkness of the human heart. Do not concern yourself with what I do for you, know that I do it out of my love for you." At that point Mizuchi Saiou disappeared, leaving Takuma Saiou alone.

"My sister, I still don't understand; why have you always insisted on sacrificing yourself like this? Even if you do bring the world into the Light, done in this way you won't be able to join that world. So why?" Saiou waited, but his sister did not return. He returned to sleep, though not a restful one. For while he did not understand why his sister was making this sacrifice, he could not oppose any action that would bring the world into the Light. That, it seemd, was to be his fate.


	11. Chapter 11

The Great Battle at Last, Asuka vs. Edo!

"Edo, it's time." Edo Phoenix looked over at Takuma Saiou, a bemused smile on his face.

"You remembered then? I was worried that your duties with the ever growing Association of Light would leave you with no time for me." Edo let out a soft laughter in the face of Saiou's stern expression. "Relax Saiou, I know that you wouldn't really forget about me; we've been through too much together for that to happen." Despite that, Saiou's face remained unchanged.

"Indeed, even with all the new members that have been joining in the wake of Junko Makita's decision, I still have time. But Edo..." Saiou then showed Edo the Tarot card in his hand, the eleventh Major Arcana. "Strength, Edo. You will need Strength very soon, more then can be possessed by any one person, even you. In order for you to acquire this Strength, this power to achieve triumph in the face of adversity, you must embody it and defeat Asuka Tenjouin, so that she may join the Association of Light." Edo flashed a smile and began to walk away. He stopped and turned back, a look of concern on his face now.

"I _must_ defeat Asuka Tenjouin?" Edo let those words sink in, and when Saiou did not respond, he continued. "Saiou, you've never told me that before. Every opponent, no matter how powerful, whether they be pros or amateurs or even Judai Yuki, in each and every case you told me one simple thing; that I would win. That I was going to win. Are you telling me that you're going to guide me to a duel where I might lose? A duel where the power my mother and father gave to me might not be enough?" For a moment it seemed like Saiou had winced at those words, but Edo realized that he must have been projecting his own feelings.

"Asuka Tenjouin...she is as the Midnight Sun; the light of her soul defies even my power to predict, whereas Judai, for all his power and ability to inspire, is still someone who has followed the fate laid out before him unerringly. Thus, while I would like to choose a time and circumstance in which your victory is assured as always, such a thing is not possible at this time. In this duel, you will have to rely entirely upon your own strength, and no one else's." Edo was silent for a moment, then grinned a manic grin.

"Is that all? That's okay, because against Asuka, against Tomorrow Girl, I wouldn't have it any other way. I understand that you want her for this new club of yours Saiou, and that's fine by me, but just remember that if I'm truly to duel with only my own power, then my own interests will come first. I won't interfere, I just want you to understand the priorities of this situation." Edo then stepped out of Saiou's office, and was saluted by a dozen members of the Association of Light; Junko, Manjoume, and Shou were among them, back from another round of recruiting new members. Edo walked past them, unconcerned with them; in his mind's eye, there was only one duelist that he saw, and he would show her that at his side she would know a happiness that none of the 'boys' on this island could ever bring her.

After all, a few strings pulled here and there, and the two of them would be pro joint duelists, and they could leave Duel Academia behind for good.

* * *

"Heh," She said in a high, cold voice, "to think that they were going to give these cards to that brat, after they've already spoiled him so much. Don't you think that would have been incredibly selfish of them, friend?"

Hayako Maeda was struck silent, all words caught in her throat. Her eyes were locked upon the still and bloodied bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Phoenix. The killer then moved towards her, her eyes visible through the mask she wore. Hayako couldn't even manage to shuffle back and away from her.

"Silent, eh? Well, it matters not, friend. After all, you've done nothing wrong. The cards that you've been creating are for your friends, and they've plainly done enough to earn those favors. Unlike the child who's been coddled all his life. I guess we'll be finding out before long what will happen when the little prince inherits the kingdom." The woman then stood tall, and looked at the deck that she'd just 'acquired'. "Magnificent. I'll have to give these a test run of course, but it shouldn't be long before the whole world can see what happens when power lies in the hands of someone who's earned it."

"You!" Hayako then tackled the woman, trying to pin her down with her weight. "You monster! You bitch! You killed them and you want to paint yourself as some sort of Robin Hood figure?!" The woman then tossed Hayako away with a strength far greater then even her sturdy frame would have suggested possible, slamming Hayako against the wall.

"I could educate you on the truth of the matter, friend, but the fact is that there is no time. The interlopers will be here soon, and while I could fend them off easily, I see no need to. Please, friend, continue your work; I believe that the cards you create will be able to provide the most challenge for my newfound power." The woman then turned to the broken window, the one that she'd broken through to make her way into the main office of Industrial Illusions, just as the security had arrived.

"Stop! Whoever you are, we will not hesitate to fire!" The security officers raised their guns, but if the woman was at all concerned her mask hid that admirably. She leaped and bounded across the room, and despite several shots seeming like they'd achieved a hit, she did not falter. She leaped out of the window, and the security team looked down below; they were fifteen stories off the ground, and while it would have been suicide for them to have followed from that height, it seemed that the woman had some device or contrivance hidden in the dark of the night that aided and abetted in her escape. One member of the security team then turned back and ran to Hayako.

"Lady Maeda, are you alright? Did the killer hurt you?" Hayako rubbed her back gingerly, but shook her head.

"I'm fine. But right now, we need to get word to Edo Phoenix and Duel Acadmia as quickly as possible!" But as she tried to get up, she winced in pain, and two of the security officers helped her up.

"Don't worry Lady Maeda, we'll get you to the infirmary as soon as possible, and CEO Tsukasa is already taking care of contacting the Edo boy. It'll be a hard pill to swallow, but the sooner he finds out, the better." As they helped her along, the other members of the security team did what they could prepare the bodies for autopsy and eventually, cremation.

* * *

"I hope you're really ready for this Edo; dueling me will be very different from dueling Judai." Asuka Tenjouin said as she stood across from Edo Phoenix, the eyes of all on the island upon them.

"That's why I want to duel you, you know; I've faced powerful duelists from all around the world, but one look at your previous duels and I know that none of them would ever compare. I really do believe that this is the duel that I've been waiting for my whole life, and when I win, everything will change for the both of us."

"A little presumptuous, don't you think?" Asuka said a little more caustically then she'd meant; she'd seen for herself that Edo was used to getting his way and that he didn't mean to be an ass about it. Still, this sort of behavior, in this venue, invited entirely too many bad memories. But she had no intention to indulge those memories, for she had a powerful foe to duel! "I'll take the first turn, and summon Cyber Petite Angel to add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand, and then I play it, sending Cyber Petit Angel, Kuriboh and Cure Mermaid to the grave to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Otohime. Now I set two cards and end my turn." The woman in the dragon kimono stood tall and proud, ready for battle.

"A good start, and just what I expected; I'll just have to try and keep up with you, Tomorrow Girl. First I play my field spell card Royal Palace, and then I play Fiend Sanctuary to special summon one Metal Fiend token, and then I follow up by playing Enemy Controller." A giant game controller appeared before Edo, and he began to enter the oldest code in the history of gaming. "With this, I can sacrifice my token and take control of your Cyber Angel Otohime...now!" The Metal Fiend token vanished as it reflected Cyber Angel Otohime's form, and in the next moment Otohime was on Edo's side of the field. "And while anyone would attempt to use your own monster against you, I'd prefer to rely upon my own power. Therefore, I sacrifice Cyber Angel Otohime to summon Granmarg the Rock Monarch from my hand." The goddess vanished, making way for the power of the king. But as Granmarg destroyed one of Asuka's face down cards, Ice Expansion, she activated the other one. A shimmering light gathered before Asuka.

"Return of the Miracle; when a Cyber Angel is sent to the grave, I can either special summon that Cyber Angel back to the field and add Machine Angel Ritual from my deck to my hand, or I can remove that Cyber Angel from play to special summon another Cyber Angel of equal level from my deck. In this case, I'll bring back Cyber Angel Otohime." Otohime flashed into being, as proud as before.

"Asuka, that was pretty damn good; there wasn't a single one of my Monarchs that I could have summoned then that could have dealt with your strategy. Well done, this is exactly the kind of duel that I've been looking for for a long time...what, did I say something funny?" Asuka looked at him in a way that suggested to him that a bit of food, possibly spinich, had gotten caught in between his teeth.

"I just...you're reminding me of my first duel with Judai. In some ways, you two are actually pretty alike, at least when you let that mask of arrogance drop." Edo raised an eyebrow at that.

"Arrogance? I should hardly think it arrogance when my deeds back up my words. But that's okay Asuka. You challenge me, and even now I can see that your strength is more and more what I need. Well, in any event I'll set one card and end my turn."

"You still need work Edo, but that shouldn't be a problem, because I'm here to teach it to you. I now activate Cyber Angel Otohime's effect, and destroy all of your monsters with less defense then her attack power. Cyber Angel Otohime, Dragon Path!" Cyber Angel Otohime briefly assumed the form of a celestial dragon and flowed like a river through Granmarg, breaking him down into rubble. "Now, Cyber Angel Otohime can't attack when she uses her effect, but don't think that means I'll hesitate to use it. End turn."

"I see." And Edo did; he had a goodly number of monsters whose effect would only activate if they were destroyed by battle. Fortunately though, he could work around that. "I'll summon Giant Rat in defense mode, and end my turn."

A murmuring spread thoroughout the crowd, wondering what Edo was planning with such a basic monster. Whatever it was, Asuka wasn't going to let him use it. "All right Edo, I'm going to activate Otohime's effect again." The Giant Rat was drowned with scarcely any effort at all. "And now I'll summon Cold Enchanter to attack you directly!" Edo grinned, almost in triumph.

"My trap card, Call of the Haunted, and I bring back Granmarg to the field!" The king of earth stood before Cold Enchanter, as though daring her attack. She had the wisdom to not do so.

"Heh, so that was your real aim, huh Edo? Pretty clever. I'm going to set one card now, and then I end my turn."

"Oh, you've not seen how far this strategy goes; I now sacrifice Granmarg to summon Kuraz the Light Monarch!" The king of earth was now replaced by the king of light, who now held spheres of light in his hands. "When I dueled Judai I used this on my own cards, but since that Cyber Angel Otohime is a lasting threat, I'll be destroying her and that face-down card of yours." Kuraz tossed the spheres of light at Asuka's cards, consuming them utterly. But as the light faded, Edo saw a new card appearing on Asuka's side of the field. "Spell Calling, I presume?"

"That's right Edo. And don't think that I forgot that Kuraz's effect lets me draw two cards." Edo shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not worried. My only regret is that Kuraz can't attack, but that's what my next turn will be for."

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing. Because now I'm going to play Machine Angel Ritual and send Cold Enchanter on the field and Knight of Ice in my hand to the grave to summon Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume!" The lightly clad goddess of revelry twisted about as she appeared on the field, at one point landing on her hands before flipping onto her feet and assuming battle posture, the knives in her hands divinely sharp. "And now I summon from my hand Cyber Ice Valkyrie, and in addition to the two hundred attack points that she gains from every water monster in the grave, Knight of Ice gives all water monsters on my side of the field an additional four hundred attack points so long as he's in the grave." Cyber Ice Valkyrie smashed the ground before her in a demonstration of her newfound strength, then launched Ama-no-Uzume into the air. The goddess dived down upon Kuraz and punctured his throat for 100 points of damage. Cyber Ice Valkyrie followed up by punching Edo square in the face for 2300 points of damage.

A wild cheering went up in the audience, for after a long and tense build up, one of the elite duelists had managed to perform a connecting blow, and what a blow! Judai in particular could not help but feel a swelling of pride at Asuka's skilled turnabout. And then he noticed it, the third Monarch Counter that had just been added to Royal Palace.

"Very well done indeed Asuka. That blow of yours, it makes my victory worth it all the way!" Edo almost seemed to glow as he drew his next card. "Now, I play Royal Discard, discarding one card from my hand and then drawing one card for each Monarch in my grave. And since I just discarded Thestalos, that makes three cards." As Edo drew his cards, the fourth counter appeared on the Royal Hall. "Now, watch carefully Asuka; after all, this is the sort of dueling that a pro can achieve, and I know that you can reach this pinacle. First, I remove a Monarch Counter to add Raiza the Storm Monarch to my hand. Next, I remove two more to special summon a monarch token, and sacrifice that summon Raiza, and with his effect, your Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume is returned to the top of your deck." The wind lifted the goddess against her will, and returned her from whence she came. "And now I play Brain Control, paying eight hundred life points to take control of your Cyber Ice Valkyrie." As the ghostly hands reached out to Cyber Ice Valkyrie's head, a biting blizzard wind tore through them, sealing the magic.

"Now you see the spell card I chose with Spell Calling, Instant Freeze. Now your Brain Control will rest upon your field, frozen and useless." Edo smiled in an exhilerated way.

"Very wisely timed, Tomorrow Girl. But don't think that I've finished yet, because I now discard one card from my hand to special summon The Tricky. Now, Raiza and The Tricky, attack!" Raiza punched a veritable drill of wind into Cyber Ice Valkyrie, and The Tricky warped the space around Asuka to facilitate his attack for another 2000 points of damage, bringing Asuka down to 1900 life points. "Now, I should point out that there's not shame in surrendering in these circumstances."

"And why would I surrender?" Asuka said, faking a tone of having taken offense.

"Because, we both know what card you're going to draw next. And without Machine Angel Ritual, you can't summon your goddess back to the field, and without any other cards in your hand, you won't be able to do anything. There's no shame to it, you've just been outplayed." Edo didn't show it, but he did sigh internally in relief; when Asuka had summoned both Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume and Cyber Ice Valkyrie, he was genuinely worried that he was going to lose. Fortunately, he turned that around and there was nothing more to be done but to wait for Asuka to exercise good sense and accept defeat gracefully. Then he would have the Strength that Saiou said he would need.

"If you think a little issue like that will make me surrender, then you've got another thing coming, Edo."

"What!?" Was she seriously going force him to attack, just for her pride? She drew her card, and it seemed as though a chill wind was gathering around her.

"When I control no cards, I can remove Knight of Ice, along with other Water attribute monsters in my grave equal to the number of cards you control, and draw that many cards." The spirits of Knight of Ice, Cyber Ice Valkyrie, Cold Enchanter, and Cure Mermaid appeared, one next to each of Edo's cards; Raiza, The Tricky, Royal Hall, and even the frozen Brain Control. Now Asuka's hand was renewed. "And now I play Sublime Water Ritual, sending a water monster or monsters from my deck to the grave of equal level to a Ritual Monster in my hand to Ritual Summon that monster. So I send Ice Master from my deck to the grave to summon Cyber Angel Ama-No-Uzume back to the field. And next I play Demotion, reducing her level by two, allowing her to be equipped with Ritual Weapon, therby raising her attack power to four thousand. Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume, attack with Twin Knife Revelry!" The goddess danced across the field, moving far too fast for Raiza to follow, and before he knew it a pair of knifes were in his chest, and as he slumped to the ground Edo's life points were reduced to zero.

"You...you won?" Edo was struggling with this; despite Saiou's statement that his victory was not guarantied, a part of him believed that this was simply a psychological trick to get him to do his utmost to win, to not relax around a truly capable opponent. But that Asuka, that Tomorrow Girl, was able to break his long running winning streak, the reality of it threatened to boggle his mind. It was when Asuka put her hand that he realized that he'd fallen down after his defeat. He then shook off her offer and got back up on his own.

"So, tell me Edo; Now that you know Saiou can't guarantee victory for you, do you plan on giving up all together?" Edo let out a light laugh in response.

"I'll admit this was quite the upset, but in the long run...I think this may work out better for me. After all, losing one match, especially against you, is hardly the worst thing that could happen to me."

It was then that he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Principal Samejima, and the weight of the sorrow on her face was almost enough to knock him down.

"Edo, I am afraid that I have some bad news."


	12. Chapter 12

A Sorrowful Separation, The Blood Remains

"Here, at Duel Academia, we like to think of ourselves as a second family to our students." Principal Samejima said, with the aid of a microphone, her voice now too hollow to carry the way it usually did. "And while we have always been here for each other in times of joy and difficulty, it is times like these that truly test us." Everyone, from the first year Osiris Reds to the third year Obelisk Blues had their heads dipped in silence, precious few having any personal experience of what to do or feel at a service like this, hoping desperately that they didn't inadvertently offend or insult Edo Phoenix. "One of our own, a new member of our family Edo Phoenix, has suffered a tragic loss, and so we are gathered here on this day to show him our condolences, to show that the loss of his parents wounds us all just as much as it wounds him."

"Lost?" Edo said in the most acerbic tone possible, causing Principal Samejima to falter. The young man in the gray suit marched up to the podium and took the microphone. "My parents were not lost. They were murdered. Some common thug, some worthless low life with no future decided to steal mine, to end theirs. Your condolences are meaningless, they will accomplish nothing. They will not redress my loss, nor will they bring justice upon the one who deserves to have that happen to them." Edo paused, as though composing his following words.

"But this injustice is not merely to myself." Edo continued, gathering force for his words. "This cruelty, this inhumane act reminds us all of the kind of world that we live in now. No matter who we are, how well armed we may be, no matter how secure our homes, none of us are safe. My dear friend Takuma Saiou has for a long time borne this burden, and now I too understand, I understand what it is to see those who are ignorant and the pain and suffering that they bring into our lives." Edo paused, letting his words sink in for a moment, for what he said next was something that he'd planned out since he'd found out the terrible news.

"I will therefore be taking a leave of absence from this fine institution." An wide eyed shock spread throughout the audience, and he continued without regarding them. "Despite some of the bonds that I would have liked to have deepened," he said looking over at Asuka, who herself recalled how she felt both during the disappearance of her brother and what she'd learned of Judai's "older brother" Kouyou Hibiki, "I have no time for such things, and what they could have offered me will be woefully insufficient to my task. Somewhere out in the world, the murderer of my parents carries with them the spoils of their crime, an experimental deck that was to be the pinnacle of my parents career. I will face anyone, under any circumstances, to find out anything that would lead me one step closer to this monster in human flesh. And when I find them, I will bring them into the light, where they can't hide their sins in the shadows." Edo then stopped, and he looked over at Takuma Saiou. They exchanged no words; the junior simply departed from the stand and reclaimed his seat, and Takuma Saiou began to spoke.

"It is indeed a terrible misfortune that has befallen my friend." Everyone, save Edo, was visibly surprised to see the tears flowing down Saiou's face. "Those who have joined the Association of Light understand my efforts to guide them, to show them what lies ahead so that they may walk to the future without fear or jealousy. And while neither I nor anyone else can help Edo directly in his mission, I do believe, most sincerely, that for those of us who truly have felt the pain of his loss, that we can still fulfill an important mission to help him." As Saiou spoke, the members of the Association of Light nodded along, feeling the power of his words.

"The world we live in is shaped by those that live in it; a world that is filled with souls consumed by darkness will inevitably produce pain and suffering. The events of last year are testament to this, and the recent tragedy that befell my friend Edo reminds us that this darkness did not begin nor end with Daitokuji. But this darkness is not invincible; it is but a mere shadow before the Light, and should that light shine bright enough then not even the tiniest mote of darkness will be able to survive. This, is the true role of the Association of Light; to not merely enlighten ourselves, but the world at large." At this point, Saiou's voice took on a sonorous quality.

"In this time, we have been provided not merely an opportunity, but the ability to act on that opportunity. In order to deny the possibility of another tragedy, to prevent another soul lost in darkness from dragging down those around it into pain and suffering, we must be more then a mere school organization. When the time comes, we must be prepared to show the world the strength of the Light of our souls, not with force, but by the simple demonstration of the strength that comes of the Light, and we will see an eclipse of the darkness that will never end. In this way, we will be able to best assist Edo in his mission."

The member's of the Association of Light briefly responded as one, "By seeing the Light we shall know our fate, by knowing our fate we shall know peace. May the Light of the fallen Phoenix's guide Edo to his future.", and then they fell quiet. Professor Hibiki began to speak. However, neither Judai nor Asuka were there to listen; they saw that Edo had just left, and they followed after him.

* * *

"Whatever the two of you have to say, make it quick. I don't have time to waste, as you well know." Edo stood on the docks, his private boat having just arrived. Judai and Asuka looked at each other for a moment, and then Judai spoke first.

"Edo, you need to calm down and think about it. Industrial Illusions, Kaiba Corp, and the Police, they'll all be searching for the killer; wouldn't your parents want you to stay safe instead of risking your life for no reason?" Edo's face acquired a feral quality, though his voice remained the same.

"Judai, did you at all hesitate to duel The Avenger or The Rebirth?" Then he turned to Asuka, his face not softening at all, "Did you forget your purpose when dueling The Terror of Death or The Machinator? No, you didn't stand by and let someone else take care of your most important duty, and neither will I." Edo turned around and was about to step onto the boat, but Asuka grabbed his arm, holding him in place.

"Even if you can't be talked out of this, wouldn't it still make more sense to work _with_ the authorities then on your own? At the very least I'm certain that your parents' friends could help." Edo seemed like he was about to falter, but his stance remained firm.

"Asuka..." He gripped his fist, tight enough that he was actually beginning to draw blood. He then looked at her with a...a pleading in his eyes, a begging tone in his voice. "Right now, the only thing that I can see, all I can feel...I can't be distracted, not even for an instant. Any hesitation, any delay, it would tear at me, gnaw away at me. The only way I could bring anyone with me, is if they were willing to devote themselves mind body and soul to my mission. They would have to be there for me, willing to support me in whatever had to be done, and they could not be distracted by anything else." As the barely restrained emotion flowed through Edo, he gained a powerfully vulnerable seeming. Despite herself, Asuka could not help but feel sympathy for the boy who had until so very recently lived an undeniably charmed life.

"Edo..." She shook her head in admonishment. "I know you won't understand, accept, or believe this right now, but so long as you that it's all about you, then no one will be able to help you. Judai, I, we all could help you, but so long as you keep coming up with excuses for why none of us are good enough, then we won't be able to help you." Asuka then pulled out her DA PDA and typed a quick message. Edo's PDA began to beep in response. "I've just given you mine, Judai's, and everyone elses's contact info. When you're ready, call us for help, and we'll be there. But not a minute sooner. Do you understand me, Edo Phoenix?" He let out a hollow chuckle.

"Heh, you really are strong, Asuka Tenjouin." He then turned back to Judai. "Don't you dare take her for granted Judai. Someone like Tomorrow Girl, you only meet them once." He then stepped onto the boat. "Hopefully, when next we meet I will have brought forth justice. Then, hopefully the three of us can have one more match, to determine who truly is the best." He then signaled the pilot, who started the boats engine and sped off for the horizon. The two duelists watched in silence as their friend rushed off, possibly to his own doom.

"You okay Asuka?" Judai said; he'd noticed the very, very slight shaking of her fist gripped at her side.

"Yeah, it's just...was that how I was, when Fubuki went missing and he could have been dead for all we knew?"

"Well, yeah. But you were willing to let me in when you were ready, and you made sure that Edo knows that he can open his heart to us when he's ready."

The two duelists remained on the docks for hours afterwards; all classes had been canceled, and it didn't feel appropriate to duel, not under these circumstances.

"Judai, Asuka." They turned, and saw Shou, Manjoume, and Junko. Shou was at the head of the group. "Saiou, he needs all the help he can get, and the two of you could do a lot of good in the Association of Light. We won't try to force you right now, but a lot of students were moved by Edo's plight and Saiou's words, and you two would be able to clinch things for sure. Judai Yuki and Asuka Tenjouin, the two highest ranking duelists in Duel Academia; if you joined now, it would confirm the truth of Saiou's words, and then we could move and act as one, to prevent future tragedy like the one we were too late to prevent before."

"Well, I'm sorry Shou." Judai shook his head. "I know that Saiou's doing his best to help, but something about this, about the Association of Light, it just rubs me the wrong way. I mean, haven't you guys noticed that you've changed?"

"Of course we've changed, Judai." Junko said with a voice full of pride. "We've been given the chance not just to see the truth, but to share and spread the truth to everyone. The Light is warmth and honesty, and in time everyone will understand that. Why, I can't even remember why I didn't join up right away, and once Momoe figures it out, everything will shine beautifully."

"Oh come on, you don't really mean that Junko...Kuriboh?" Asuka turned her head in the direction of her duel spirit; it was worried about something, it had been for awhile, but why did it appear now?

"Asuka, why are you talking to your card?" Manjoume's question was stated simply enough, but to Judai and Asuka, the meaning of it was far deeper then Manjoume seemed to appreciate. Judai and Asuka looked their friend's in the eyes, and for a moment, they could see it, a spark that hadn't been there before.

"Sorry Manjoume, we've got to go." Asuka then grabbed Judai's arm and pulled him along. Once away from their friends in the Association of Light, they called up Misawa, Momiji, Momoe, and Rei, hoping that together they could start figuring out what it was that now seemed to be hiding within the members of the Association of Light.


	13. Chapter 13

The Road to Vengence on the Path to Truth

"I'm here to see the Lady Thorn. Let me in, now." The men who stood before Edo Phoenix snorted derisively at him. They towered over him, their dingy clothes a clear contrast to his trim and neat grey suit.

"Yo, brat; in case you didn't realize, this isn't an arcade little kidlets. Now, why don't you run off and grab onto your Mommy's coattails like a good little boy and...!" Despite the difference in size, the sheer aura of malice emanating from Edo served to make him seem a most deadly threat against the two bouncers. He then armed his Duel Disc and promptly tore through them; it seemed that the patrons of the Underground Duelist League did not see fit to arm their guards with much more then the basics, relying on appearances to do the work of intimidation. As he walked past them, he took out the card that had guided him to this place, the card that Jun Manjoume had sent to him.

"I don't know why," Manjoume had said to him in the message that accompanied the card, "but for some reason it would seem that I have an invitation from a duelist from the Underground. While it would be nice to be able to say that this will lead you straight to that vile murderer that walks in the darkness, I highly doubt that this good fortune will go that far. However, I have no doubt in my mind that by finding this woman, you will be brought one step closer to your goal. Saiou said as much, and all the rest of us in the Association of Light will raise high the Light to show the way." There were some decided oddities to that message, but Edo dismissed them as beyond irrelevant; this was the first real clue in over three weeks, and his anger had not diminished in the slightest.

"Twerp," Said the lead member of a trio of guards, "this place ain't safe for milksops like you. So why don't you go back home and suckle at yer mamma's teat...!" That duel was faster, and even more decisive. The aura of malice around Edo grew even larger, and the final set of guards stood aside, rather then offend this boy who nevertheless seemed an avatar of the god of death. Now in the Underground League proper, Edo looked dismissively upon the human filth that occupied it; men and women of decadent wealth wasting away their flesh and souls watching the desperate and the poor make fools of themselves for their amusement.

But Edo had no time for distractions such as these, as he could now see the target of his investigations, a woman wearing a bodysuit with a red rose motif. He marched up to her, ignoring her companion, and slammed both hands on the table that bore her wine.

"The Lady Thorn, I presume? Or should I say, Misao?" There was a momentary look of surprise on the woman's face, until Edo showed her the card that Manjoume had provided her with. She then smiled wryly, and waved of her companion, a willowy looking man with a decided look of disgust on his face.

"So you're a friend of the kid, eh? Well, if he gave you his invitation, that's his choice. But tell me, what brings such a noble looking brat like you to a place like this?" As she finished her question, a loud shriek echoed, and all looked in that direction; one of the duelists had just lost, and it seemed that in his match the loser was to be subjected to small jets of fire all across their body. The blasts were quick and powerful, creating numerous third degree burns all over his body. He fell to the ground and continued screaming until one of the officials sedated him and had some bodyguards remove him.

"Sorry about that," Lady Thorn said, wryly noting the look of shock in Edo's eyes. "If you had properly arranged a meeting, we wouldn't have to deal with interruptions like that." The shock in Edo's eyes now shifted to his original target, amplified greatly.

"Interruption? If I could, I would have every last one of you arrested!" Edo quieted himself, remembered the true target of his rage. "But that will have to wait for another occasion. I'm looking for a murderer, someone who killed for a deck." Everyone around him became silent and glared at Edo. Lady Thorn's companion then spoke.

"What a simple minded brat you are. We're not squeaky clean and holier-then-thou like you, so clearly nothing is beneath us. Honestly, a child...no, you're a baby, still wet behind the ears. You know what you ought to do?" The man grinned, drawing his face tight. "You should have your mommy tell you the one about the big bad wolf." The man then blocked Edo's fist, grabbed his arm, and twisted it painfully. "But then again, maybe you're not so different from us after all, considering the unlawful treatment you gave to security."

"Let him go, Kanda." He did, and Edo winced as he rubbed his arm. "You're Edo Phoenix, yes? I can see why you're so desperate and angry; an insulated child now alone in the world, you can't help but lash out at anything and everything that reminds you of your pain. But the world will keep on striking back, and if you don't learn to apply some wisdom, you'll find yourself in the company of your parents before long."

"Are you threatening me?" Edo said, having resolved the pain away.

"Is it a threat to say that grabbing a bear cub from its mother would result in a horrible screaming death? No, Edo Phoenix, I actually am trying to help you. Yes, I know what you're thinking; why is this..._woman_, saying that she'll help me? It's simpler then you'd think." Lady Thorn then took a sip of her wine. "Three of my friends have been killed by that thief."

"What?" Edo said, his eyes narrowed in suspicious confusion. "Friends? Dead? I'd think that people like you wouldn't have any friends, and you'd be so used to the stench of death that you wouldn't even be comfortable without it." More eyes fell upon Edo, the weight of their anger a solid thing. Lady Thorn silenced their unsaid words with a gesture.

"Yes, I imagine that you would think that. But the fact is that it is in this place that I've found some of my dearest friends, and I would wish nothing more then to be able to avenge their deaths myself. Unfortunately, you are not the only one to have judged us the way you have, and many of them are quite powerful. Were I or the rest of my friends to go after the killer, we ourselves would be apprehended on trumped up charges, and by the time we got free, it would be far too late. But you, have come to us as a boon. And all we have to do..." At that moment, Edo felt himself becoming faint. "Is unwrap the parcel before us." Edo Phoenix collapsed, the needle in the back of his neck cleanly injecting the sedative.

* * *

"Hey dad, how come there aren't any kings or emperors anymore? Wouldn't things be a lot better if someone like Julius Ceaser were in charge?" Terayoka Phoenix looked up from his work, the first of the Monarch cards still being designed, and laughed lightly in response to his son.

"Actually, there still are kings and emperors, but most of them aren't very good kings or emperors. A lot of them are born to power or gained power, but never understood what that power was for. Do you know what power is for, Edo?" Edo responded eagerly, wanting to impress his father.

"To protect people!"

"Not quite Edo," His mother Yaoya said, patting him on the head. "A king might think that he's keeping his people safe, but if he doesn't lift them up and inspire them, he's not much better then the king who uses them and tosses them away."

"Your mother's right. Your mother and I, our lives are for you, and that's why you must avenge us." Edo suddenly fell back, his parents had begun to rot away.

"Every day that our killer lives, you desecrate our memory, Edo." Edo's mother reached out to him, and held him tight to her decayed bosom.

"You must find the killer, and bring him to justice, no matter the cost." Edo's father said, dragging him away from his mother.

"Mother! Father!" Edo cried out, and he found himself in one of the caged arenas of the underground league. As he got up, he saw that his feet were shackled in place, and he felt a stinging sensation in the back of his neck. He reached back there, and found what seemed to be a tube, an IV drip of some sort, but what the hell was it pumping him with? Or draining from him?

"Ah, now you're awake." Edo looked over at Kanda, who had what seemed to be the same device in the back of his neck, and by the looks of it something was definitely being pumped into him. If only he really was a PhD in medicine with an IQ of 180 like some of the rumors said of him, then he might have known what it was. "To answer the question that must be running through your head, that's adrenaline. It will be pumped into us throughout the match until one of us emerges victorious. The loser will experience an additional spike at the end, but aside from that, no penalty. This should make for a good representation of what facing that murderer will be like for you."

"Enough of this!" Edo yelled out, his voice tenser then he realized; it seemed he was already being affected. "Fine, I'll play along with this game for now, but when I win, you will tell me everything you know, Lady Thorn!" He said the last as he pointed to his true target, who was still seated at the same table as before, sipping her wine. He then drew his cards and dismissively looked at the target before him. "I summon Giant Germ in defense mode, then set one card to end my turn."

"Heh, riled up already, are you boy? If you can't remain calm under even this minimal pressure, then you'll be useless to us when it really matters. Now, to begin my turn, I play three Six Samurai United Continuous Spell Cards." As the three cards appeared on Kanda's side of the field, Edo could feel the presence of even more eyes on him then there were in the room. Could they be broadcasting this, he thought, but he quickly stamped that thought out. "Now, whenever I summon a Six Samurai monster to the field, each of my Six Samurai United cards gains a Bushido counter. So I'll start by summoning Yaichi of the Six Samurai." A warrior in modern yet feudal era armor, lined with neon yellow, and armed with a very modern style bow. "And now that he's on the field, I may special summon from my hand Grandmaster of the Six Samurai." An aged warrior, his arms and legs replaced with robotic prosthetics, yet his eyes still burned with an ancient honor. "Now, with both Six Samurai monsters having been summoned, I have gathered all the Bushido counters that I'm allowed, so now I send my Six Samurai United cards to the grave and draw one card for every Bushido counter that was on them!"

"What!" Edo cried out; just when it seemed as though this man had depleted his hand, he recouped everything and more! "You've got to be kidding, there's no way those cards of yours are legitimate!" A harsh laughter echoed around Edo, but it did not come from Kanda.

"So says the prince with a deck custom built just for him, and another one on the way, until it was stolen from him. Before you cry out that the situation is unfair, you might want to, as an American friend of mine was want to say, remove the plank from your eye before the mote from mine own. But I'm hardly finished yet; with two Six Samurai monsters on the field, I can now special summon from my hand Great Shogun Shien!" This figure stood tall in red armor and a black cape, a moderate sized katana in his hand; moderate to his stature at any rate, but to a human it was staggering. Still, despite the rush flowing through Edo's veins, he wasn't worried.

"I'll admit, that's quite impressive. It looks like I'll be in for a beating."

"More then you realize, Edo. I now activate Yaichi's effect; since I have another Six Samurai monster on the field, in return for not being able to attack with him this turn, I can destroy one face down spell or trap on your side of the field." The noble samurai archer sniped Edo's Mirror Force card, destroying it with a single arrow. "This is the bond between brothers, the power that we in the shadows draw from one another, that you were so quick to dismiss, oh prince. Grandmaster, attack!" The aged warrior struck, and while Giant Germ's effect went off uninterrupted, felt himself flinching anyway. "Not used to not getting your way, huh prince? I guess they're even softer in the Pro Leagues then I thought. All that sophistry and lying, it makes me sick. Great Shogun Shien, One-Hundred-and-Eight Demon-Strike!" The Great Shogun Shien did not even move from where he stood; he waved his sword and a line of fire reached out and fried the Giant Germ for 1500 points of damage, putting Edo firmly on the defensive. "Now I set two more cards, and then play the field spell card, Shien's Castle of Mist." If not for the continued grip of the shackles and the steadily increasing flow of adrenalin into his veins, Edo might have believed the illusion before him.

"No matter how you try to dress it all up, no matter how you try to draw on the history of people who did have honor and brotherhood, there's no way a worthless criminal could ever understand these things! I now tear down all your illusions with this, Heavy Storm!" Gale force winds rushed forth, bringing the castle and Kanda's traps down. At that moment, Great Shogun Shien's eyes glowed a piercing red.

"A well played card, but that will be all in that way; so long as Great Shogun Shien is on the field, you can only activate one spell or trap card per turn."

"Then I'll just have to tear down your false warlord! I sacrifice my Giant Germ and summon Zaborg the Thunder monarch, and when summoned by a sacrifice, I can destroy one monster on your side of the field!" The king of lightning raised his arms, electricity circulating between them. But as the bolt was about to strike, Yaichi leaped in front of the Shogun, and took the blow in his place.

"Whenever Great Shogun Shien would be destroyed, I can have one other Six Samurai be destroyed in his place. A king who stands alone, can't win against the one that stands with his people."

"Enough! Don't even try to pretend that you're better then me you thug! Zaborg, attack Grandmaster!" Shien's mightiest warrior perished, and took with him 300 life points. "Now I set one card to end my turn!"

"Feeling a little shallow of breath, are we prince?" Edo balked, but could not deny the shaking of his hands. "Maybe if you weren't so rushed, you would have noticed that by destroying Grandmaster, you activated his effect, allowing me to return Yaichi to my hand. This allows me to discard him back to the grave to activate Final Sword of the Six Samurai." Edo wiped the sweat from his brow. Sweat? Could the added adrenaline in his veins already be affecting him so badly? "With this card, I can add one card from my deck to my hand that has either Six Samurai or Shien in it's name. Therefore, I add Enishi, Shien's Chancellor to my hand, and I remove from play both of my Six Samurai monsters in the grave to special summon him." Enishi kneeled beside his master, his robes only thinly veiling the power that he would bring to his master. "And next, I summon Hand of the Six Samurai from my hand." This was a woman, whose eyes were that of a killer, and the dagger in her hand...

"That, was quite impressive, I have to admit. But even if your monsters work together, they still don't have the quality of a king! And while I'll admit my vision is turning red, that's only because you and the rest of your kind are delaying me from my true goal!" Kanda grinned and shook his head as though a sudden chill went down his spine.

"Heh, it's a shame this duel will be over so quickly. The rush here is like nothing else, prince. But don't worry, you'll get used to it, eventually. Now, Enishi activates his effect, and by skipping his attack he can destroy one monster on the field." Enishi then drew his katana faster then Edo could see, even with his senses heightened by the adrenaline, and decapitated Zaborg. "Now, attack directly Hand of the Six Samurai!"

"Activate Quick Spell Card, Call of Faith!" In a flash, the Devoted Faithful One appeared on Edo's field in defense mode, sacrificing its life for him. And as it fell, the two tokens appeared, each one now more then before the spitting images of the fallen Phoenix's. Great Shogun Shien opted to slay the father.

"Huh. I'd heard about that card of yours Edo, but I didn't think you'd be able to play it, not so soon anyway. Perhaps there is hope for you yet, prince."

"Shut up!" Edo yelled out, his nerves fast reaching their limit. "I will not be judged by you, I have nothing to prove to the likes of you! Your turn is over, and I'll take mine! I play Graceful Charity, drawing three and discarding two." As Edo looked over his new hand, he grinned. "And besides, the memory of my parents shall always keep me strong!" As he said this, the image of his nightmare flashed, and he very nearly retched.

"Honestly, this is becoming very frustrating. I would have thought that you'd have started paying attention by now. This isn't some game, Edo. As sad as it is, we need you to bring us justice for our fallen friends, but so long as you are like this, it will be impossible for you to win."

"Hah, say that after you've won, criminal! I now sacrifice my token to summon Kuraz the Light Monarch! And with his effect, I'll destroy both Hand and Great Shogun Shien at the same time, therby circumventing his effect." Both shogun and assassin perished together, and even with the cards that Kanda just drew it did not amount to much. "And now I play Second Summon and sacrifice Kuraz to summon Thestalos!" The king of fire appeared and a crushing fist of fire enveloped Kanda's hand, destroying the newly drawn Great Shogun of Shien in his hand and dealing 700 damage to him. "Now, Thestalos, attack Enishi!" The king struck once more for 200 more points of damage, cleansing the field of Kanda's monsters.

"Hum, that's pretty good, Edo." Kanda then shook himself for a moment, the lines of his veins now quite visible on his face. "But the real key to victory is getting back up again. I set one monster, and one card, to end my turn."

"Get back up? From what!" Edo yelled out, the veins on his face now similarly distended. "Thestalos, attack his monster now!" The king of fire struck, and slew Shien's Footsoldier, an odd looking monkey dressed in the rudiments of a Samurai's armor.

"From the pit that you've fallen into. Trust me Edo, all of us here have been there, and regardless of whatever intentions your friend or you might have thought you had, that's the real reason you've come here." Kanda shuffled in place, the manacles most uncomfortable now that the drive to fight-or-fly was reaching its peak. "But enough of this; by destroying Shien's Footsoldier, I may now special summon a level three or lower Six Samurai from my deck. Come, Kamon!" A samurai hiding behind an Oni mask, carrying an explosive, a stick of dynamite.

"Come at me with all your numbers all you like, they won't do you any good. I set one card and end my turn." The blood was now pounding in Edo's head, almost deafening, but he had this duel, he knew it.

"Heh, would you look at this? I drew just the right card. I summon Six Samurai Yariza," A man in blue armor and wielding a naginata whose blade seemed to be made of energy, "And now I play Six Scrolls of the Samurai, sacrificing my monsters to summon my final Great Shogun Shien from my deck! And I'm not done yet! I activate my trap card, Backs to the Wall, and reduce my life points to one hundred to special summon every Six Samurai monster in my grave!" The Great Shogun stood proud, supported by Kamon, Yariza, Grandmaster, and the Hand of the Six Samurai. "Now, Hand of the Six Samurai will sacrifice herself and destroy Thestalos, leaving you with nothing left to defend yourself!" The thrill that filled Kanda's being was obvious, unhidden, especially to Edo's senses, which were at their absolute peak. As Hand of the Six Samurai drew her dagger, Edo could see each drop of venom that lined the blade, and he knew that he didn't have much time to activate his trap and achieve victory.

"So why," he thought to himself, "can't I call it out?" The blood in his head was pounding so loud he couldn't even hear the jeering and cheering of the crowd, and his hands...he felt like he was about to tear his own cards in two, that he couldn't even control his hands any more. He looked across at Kanda and saw reflected in those feral, adrenaline driven eyes the reflection of his own. It was insane, it was only the effect of this ridiculous waste of time game that didn't mean anything, that was what Edo kept telling himself, over and over again, faster and faster as his nerves became more and more frantic. "Focus Edo," he said to himself, "His monster is already halfway to mine, and if I don't activate my trap now, then I lose! I lose everything!"

"Why?" To Edo, it seemed like everything had just stopped, like his nerves were now so fast that seconds were as minutes to him. The voice, soft and quiet, it seemed to be coming from a mirror. He almost recognized the voice, he was sure of it, but everything was hammering into him, everything was so draining that he could collapse at any moment. "Who will miss you if you lose? If you should lose here, the light will continue to shine, and show the way. How will your victory help those close to you find the way?"

"Find the way?" Something happened then; the tension in Edo's nerves snapped, but those words stuck, and before he fell unconscious, he called out the activation of his trap, just as the Hand of the Six Samurai was about to slay Thestalos. "Blue on Blue, forcing you to begin your battle phase by having one of your monsters attack the other." Edo collapsed, and as he fell unconscious he heard Kanda scream, both in agony and joy.

* * *

"Not bad Edo, though if you'd stayed asleep for another week we would have had a problem. Still, I think you figured something out on the battlefield." Edo came to, and he saw Lady Thorn standing above him.

"I still don't much care for you people, but seeing the way Kanda dueled, how he burned his life, or just his life points I suppose, to bring out all his monsters...I believe you now. I believe that you people deserve justice as much as anyone, and that someone like me, who's only just been thrust down like this, I shouldn't lash out at those who are like me." Lady Thorn smiled, then gave Edo an envelope.

"You actually do understand us, Edo Phoenix. Now that we have reached this understanding, I believe we can count on you to find The Hallowed One. That's what the killer called herself when she attacked my friends. And as to where you can find her on the surface, the contents of the envelope will provide you both the knowledge and the means. Oh, and don't ask how I got that, there are far more important matters at hand to deal with. Now, I do hope that after this is all over with, that you will grace us with your presence again. Now, you know where the exit is, so I will leave you to collect your thoughts." Lady Thorn then left the room, leaving Edo alone. He got up to wash his face, drink some water, and to rub some feeling back into his hands. With that accomplished, he opened the envelope, and saw that it was an invitation. An invitation to...

* * *

"...The Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge! I'm your host, Mokuba Kaiba, and welcome to the best that Domino City has to offer!" Mokuba Kaiba smiled at the gathered duelists; some were from Duel Academia, some were professionals, some were amateurs, but someone among them had a very particular deck. And since his big brother tasked him with finding that card, he would.


	14. Chapter 14

Birds of a Feather, Play Together?

"The Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge, or KC EVRC for short, is a special competition that goes beyond any mere tournament that's been run in the past. You see, winning duels is but one element of this competition, though of course it remains a vital element." As Mokuba Kaiba spoke to the gathered crowd of duelists, many in attendance could not help but recall Seto Kaiba's announcement at the start of the legendary Battle City tournament; it was certainly the case that the time that had passed since then, just a little more than a decade, had treated the younger Kaiba brother quite well. He was both as tall and as fit as Seto, but where the elder Kaiba's eyes were forever harsh and cold, the younger's were wide and energetic, with just a hint of the cunning that was common to all those named Kaiba. Another point of difference between the Kaiba brothers, one that was immediately noticed by al those who took great care of their own, was the hair; where Seto's was relatively short, brown, and highly controlled, Mokuba's was, well, huge. Long and thick, it covered the whole of his back, yet was so shiny and smooth that the mind staggered at how much time and money went into its care. The fact that he didn't even seem the least bit bothered by its weight was just the twist in the knife as far as many were concerned. "Now, to demonstrate some of the differences, would...you, Jun Manjoume, come up to the stage?" Mokuba said, pointing to Jun Manjoume.

Jun Manjoume, Shou Marufuji, and Junko Makita; these were the members that Takuma Saiou had chosen to represent the Association of Light in the KC EVRC, with all the rest staying back at Duel Academia to continue their work. Judai Yuki, Asuka Tenjouin, Momoe Hamaguchi, Daichi Misawa, Momiji Todo, and Rei Saotome, they all looked up at the friend that they thought they knew once, but as he stood on the stand, the strange foreign light that Judai and Asuka had first spotted several weeks ago had if anything grown in intensity. Professor Hibiki was there as well, not as a participant but as an observer of the events, and she too was highly concerned by what she'd been told. Unfortunately, not even she knew yet what to do, so she advised patience and observation to find the path.

"Vice-President Mokuba, I am ready for whatever you have in store for me." Manjoume said in as haughty a tone as ever, but the edge of it was off, as though it were being said by someone who was trying to act like Manjoume; numerous little signs like these, the sort that would only be noticed by close friends and family, had cropped up like weeds with regards to the members of the Association of Light.

"Just put your deck in that slot there," Mokuba said, pointing to an object hidden to the crowd by the podium, "and watch what happens." Manjoume did so, and not even a moment later the whole stage was flooded with an intense white light. This was an all encompassing light that admitted not even a speck of shadow, shade, or darkness. After a few seconds, the light became subdued, allowing features to show in the white landscape, an austere setting where there dwelled a dragon that belonged there and only there.

"Now," Mokuba said as he removed the deck, returning it to Manjoume, "What you just witnessed was one of the latest developments in Kaiba Corp Solid Vision technology; rather then taking the data from a single card, we can instead take the data of an entire deck and create a composite that expresses the heart and soul of that deck. The other development is housed behind me, in the state-of-the-art Kaiba Land Deluxe. Once you enter, an entire virtual realm will be constructed based on the composite information of all your decks. Can anyone tell me what the implications of this would be?" Mokuba said as though he were a teacher addressing his pupils. Which, given his function, was not far from the truth.

"We would be able to anticipate what sort of deck our opponent uses." Asuka said, just as Misawa was about to nudge Momiji into speaking; Momiji however, was still caught up in the image drawn from Manjoume's deck and thus would not have noticed such an action on Misawa's part. Asuka however, was plainly noticed. "The better someone is at figuring out the composition of their opponent's deck, based on the Virtual Realm constructed by it, the better they will be at anticipating their opponent's strategy and winning."

"Bingo...Asuka Tenjouin. For those who truly have the mindset of a true duelist, mere guesswork and rumor won't be needed. But this is just one new factor of the KC EVRC; would...Edo Phoenix and Maria Croix please come up to the stage." Judai and the others were rather surprised to see Edo there, and while they didn't yet know what had happened in the time that he'd been gone, it was clear that he'd been tempered by it. Maria Croix herself looked very excited to be on stage with Edo, though seemingly perceptive enough of Edo's condition to not be boisterous about it.

"My condolences, Edo." She said with a slight bow. "I hope that the you'll find the killer before long."

"Hope...hope has nothing to do with it. I will, because that is what justice demands of me and of all that need me." Edo said in a taciturn fashion.

"Now you two, don't talk about stuff like that; it's not like the criminal would come to a place like this." Mokuba said, wanting to get people's minds off the not so long ago tragedy. "Now, we're going to repeat the demonstration as with Manjoume's deck, but this time we will use two decks at once." Edo and Maria placed their decks where instructed, and waited a moment as the system compiled the data.

In the next moment, two distinct realms appeared; the first was instantly familiar to all who had seen Edo duel, the Royal Hall, with all seven Monarchs standing proud before their own statues, while the other was a lush plain over which flew a mighty phoenix, with several worshipful attendants standing beneath it in reverant awe. Then something odd happened; the two realms began to merge, becoming one seamless mix. The hall was now divided into rooms, some of which had rivers, hills, or other such natural features within them. The image disappeared as Mokuba returned the decks to their respective owners.

"That's right," Mokuba said as he looked upon the plainly surprised faces in the crowd, "when the data from multiple decks are fed into the system, it creates a maze based upon that composite information. Furthermore, the solid vision used in the Kaiba Land Deluxe is truly deserving of the title; there will be no walking through walls in this challenge. And that brings me to the final element of the KC EVRC; the keys. In short, there will be a number of keys equal to the number of competitors, or sixty-four in all, and each of these keys will be attuned to three others. You must find one key, and then use it to make your way to one of the other duelists that possesses the corresponding key. Once you've obtained the four keys that are attuned to each other, you will have a choice of two doors to pass through; if you choose the right hand door, you will win a generous prize, well over two million yen. But, for those who choose the left-hand door, there will be one last melee free-for-all to determine who will have the right to face..."

Quite suddenly all the lights were dimmed, save for the one's just beneath Mokuba, giving him an ominous air that reminded many in attendance of the rumors, the rumors that as a child he led a gang of children armed with knives, tasers, and guns. "...The hidden one; a duelist of great skill and power that appeared before my brother. He tested this duelist, and found that their skill was on par with his own. As such, any who can defeat this unknown opponent will earn unique cards not available to the general public, cards that will ensure victory for the rest of your days. But should you lose..." The lights were then returned to normal, restoring Mokuba's far more pleasant visage. "Well, there are a few more details, but they're minor ones and...excuse me a minute guys." Mokuba then turned around and answered his cell phone. "Oh hey Rebecca, how did the west coast division go? ...Yeah, like there was any doubt of that...hold on a sec, 'kay Rebecca?" He then turned back to the crowd, a mild blush on his face. "Well, before the KC EVRC begins, I'd like to remind everyone of the buffet the next room over, and good luck to everyone, may the goddess of victory be with you all!" As everyone made there way to the food, Mokuba resumed his conversation with one Rebecca Hopkins, American Division champion four years running.

* * *

"Man, the buffet sure was good. Wish Edo would have opened up more, but beggers can't be choosers, or something like that." Judai said this to himself as he made his way across the virtual landscape created from his own deck; it was a landscape of extremes, with frozen tundras and heat waves resting side by side, of lush forests and rocky plateus. As he made his way through in his search for the first key, he saw what had to be one of the 'little details' that Mokuba had mentioned; it was a wandering monster, an Elemental Hero Ice Edge. The childlike hero had no shine of justice in its eyes however, and attacked Judai the moment it saw him; Judai summoned Ocean in defense mode to hold him off, but when he saw that the key was in an alcove behind Ice Edge, he knew that he had to figure a way through or around him. Fortunately, with E-Emergency Call and Elemental Hero Knopse, he was able to spirit Knopse past his own hero and get the key, after which he ran until Ice Edge stopped chasing him.

As Judai recovered his breath in one of the cool patches of his deck's landscape, he heard the sound of birds in the distance, loud shrieking birds that sounded like a cross between a raven and a crow. Judai waited, and he saw the landscape changing, becoming a junkyard of indeterminate age. And from the other side of one of those junk piles emerged a young man with tall orange hair and grungy looking clothes. His face had a confident look that bordered on cockiness.

"Well, so you're to be my first opponent, Judai Yuki. This won't take long at all." Judai amended that last thought, this guy was really cocky. "My name is Saito Masashi, a Pro League Duelist who's deck shall be the wave of the future!" Judai flipped off of his back and onto his feet, finding himself as tall as the pro, or the pro was as short as him; Judai had to admit that he was still pretty short for his age, not to mention Asuka was pretty tall..."Focus Judai, I don't have time to waste earning my victory!"

"Wow, and I thought Edo was confident about his odds." Judai armed his duel disc, and looked past the sneer on his opponent's face. "You must have a pretty awesome deck, huh?"

"Tch, awesome is too meager a word to describe my deck, which shall shape the world of dueling for generations to come! Once I win this little challenge, the Pro Duelist League will have no choice but to forever grant me the number one rank until I decide to drop it. But don't just take my word for it, just watch my duel! I summon Battlestorm onto the field!" A man with a red helmet and swallow's wings flew onto the field, diving from the top of one of the junk piles down below. "Battlestorm starts with seventeen hundred attack points, and gains one hundred for every winged beast on the field, so by himself he has eighteen hundred attack points. Let's see you beat that, Judai."

"Well, I don't think I can, but I can match it at least. I play E-Emergency Call to add Elemental Hero Stratos to my hand, and then summon him to the field in attack mode, using his effect to add Elemental Hero Ice Edge to my hand. Now I set two cards, and end my turn." The hero and the warrior faced off against each other, neither giving any ground to the other.

"Hah! Is that the best your Elemental Hero deck is capable of? Well, I guess it can't be helped; after all, it's only the deck of the former World Champ, and once I take that empty throne no one will spare a thought to its old king."

"What!?" A vein Judai didn't know he had began to swell, but he kept it down; Kouyou wouldn't have lost his cool, and neither would he. "Trust me, as someone who's dueled Kouyou, there's no way he'll ever be forgotten."

"So you say, Judai, but I, Saito Masashi, shall crush that deck and the dreams it carries. I now summon from my hand Black Feather Gale the Whirlwind!" A twisting funnel of wind erupted from another junk pile, and a small, strange looking bird with green plumage and black feathers emerged. "And since I have a Black Feather monster on the field, I can special summon Black Feather Bora the Spear!" Another tornado ripped apart a third junk pile, and a truly ugly, ugly bird flew out, carrying a large spear in one hand. "Now, since I have three Winged Beasts on the field, Battlestorm's attack power increases to two thousand, but my speed of summoning brings me more then just that, for when there are three winged beasts on my field, Battlestorm can destroy one spell or trap card on the field." Battlestorm flapped his wings and swept a claw of wind at Judai's face down Swamp of the Fallen. "And now I activate Gale's effect, reducing your Elemental Hero Stratos's attack power by one half!" The little ugly bird flapped his wings hard, eroding and chipping away at Stratos. "Now Battlestorm, attack his empty crippled hero!"

Judai flinched as his Elemental Hero was laid low, but he knew that Stratos would have his revenge soon. "I activate my trap card, Hero Signal, and special summon Elemental Hero Woodsman from my deck in defense mode." Elemental Hero Woodsman grew up from the ground beneath him, restoring some green to the sceenery.

"Hah, I'll bet you think you've slowed me down, but nothing can stop the Black Feathers, the ultimate and perfect monsters. Bora the Spear, attack!" Judai couldn't understand it, Bora had only 1700 attack power; did he have some sort of effect to destroy defense mode monsters? "And now that the battle has begun, I discard Black Feather Kalut the Moonshadow, raising Bora's attack power by fourteen hundred, and with Bora's effect, you'll still take battle damage, even though Woodsman is in defense mode!" As Bora flew in, a tiny little bird with the face of a clown swooped in, creating a current of wind that accelerated Bora's attack, destroying Woodsman. "And now you have nothing left to even pretend to slow me down with, so Gale will attack you directly!" Judai was lifted off his feet by gale force winds and slammed back into the ground, leaving him with only 500 life points left.

"And don't even think I'm done moving forward yet Judai! You see, the level three Gale the Whirlwind is a special new kind of monster, a tuner monster, and by sending it to the grave along with my level four bora the spear, I can Synchro Summon the level seven Black Feather Armor Master!"

"Synchro Summon?!" Judai could only stare in shock at the strange phenomenom took place before him; Gale turned into a set of three rings while Bora the Spear dissolved into four points of light. An eerie sound echoed across the field, and a flash of light seemed to consume everything, and in its wake emerged the Black Feather Armor Master, a humanoid figure with artificial wings and 2500 attack points.

"That's right; right now, my deck is the only one that can perform this accelerated method of summoning, but when I win this tournament, everyone will be forced to adapt. And how could they not? Black Feather Armor Master can't be destroyed in battle and takes no damage either. And when this card attacks, I can place a wedge counter on my opponent's monster, and later remove it to reduce the attack and defense of my opponent's monster to zero until the end phase. With such a perfect monster that can only be summoned in this way, all other methods of play shall fall by the wayside; no one will ever remember Fusions, or Rituals, or even regular special summons that don't facilitate this method!"

"...That's your duel?" Judai said, incredulity mounting in his voice. "That's what you think dueling is all about? ...You'll never take Kouyou Hibiki's place, and I'll defeat you here and now to make sure that doesn't ever happen!"

"Tch, meaningless words from a loser using an antiquated deck. I now play my spell card, Dark Eruption, to add a Dark Monster with fifteen hundred attack or less from my grave to my hand. I of course choose Kalut the Moonshadow. Well Judai, try to hold out, for all the good it will do you; the more you struggle, the more impressive my one-sided victory shall be."

"No, this duel is over; this strategy, is one that I don't like to use, but against you I'll make full use of it! I now play A Hero Arrives, paying half my life points to special summon Elemental Hero Ocean to the field, and then I play Fusion, sending Ocean and Ice Edge to the grave to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" A cool mist spread across the field as Absolute Zero arrived, but Black Feather Armor Master showed no sign of worry, and in fact considerable disdain for his opponent. "And now I play Miracle Fusion, removing Woodsman and Ocean in my grave from play to summon Elemental Hero Earth!" Two heros stood together, united in comradery and brotherhood. And despite himself, Saito Masashi gulped in surprise at the power Judai had demonstrated.

"Now, I activate Elemental Hero Earth's effect and sacrifice Elemental Hero Absolute Zero to increase Elemental Hero Earth's attack power to five thousand! And when Absolute Zero is removed from the field, all monsters on your side are destroyed!"

"No way, you can't possibly do that!" Saito was now in a positive panic as massive spikes of ice destroyed his monsters, his... "You can't do this to me on my debut duel!" Now his monsters were gone, and there was nothing to defend him, no traps at all. Elemental Hero Earth rushed across the field, the fire of his swords burning away all the junkpiles as he struck Saito Masashi down, defeating him in a single blow.

"Eh, sorry about that; I guess I lost my temper there...didn't realize I could be like that." Judai then walked up to Saito and stuck his hand out in offering. "Well, hopefully we'll be able to have a fun duel next time." Saito looked up at Judai, and took his hand, laughing. His face and demeanor had completely changed from earlier.

"Wow, I guess I deserved that, didn't I? I mean, talk about a jerk-ass persona I was using. Can you imagine if I really was like that, constantly harping on one thing like a self-superior smug prick?"

"Yeah, you definitely wouldn't be very popular if you did that for real. So, what are you going to do now?" Saito took his deck out of his duel disc and looked down at it.

"Well, since I didn't start being such a jerk-ass until after I got this deck, I'll dump it and start all over again." Saito then tossed his deck into the air, the cards scattering among the junk piles, then handed over his key to Judai. "Thanks Judai, you saved me from making a terrible mistake."

"No problem Saitou, I hope we can meet again after you get your new deck!" Saitou then walked off to his new future. "I wonder if Asuka, Misawa, Rei, and Momiji are going to have such interesting duels too? I sure hope so!"

* * *

"Everything has been set up," Mizuchi Saiou said, looking into her mirrors. "Are you ready, my apostles in the shadows?" The four mirrors shined briefly before revelaing in their reflections people who were not there.

"Of course, my Lady." The first one said, a short black haired woman wearing a headband with Suzaku, the Vermillion Phoenix, upon it. "I will burn away all resistance, and make them see the light.

"I have long been prepared for this time, my Lady." The second one said, a stout, thickly built man who wore a hard black jacket like the shell of Genbu, the Black Turtle. "I only hope that I can wash away my mistakes before it's too late."

"We are firm in our resolve, my Lady." The third one said, a tall and lanky woman wearing a blue necklace shaped like Seiryu, the Azure Dragon. "We will pave the way for you and your brother."

"We will not hesitate, my Lady." The final one said, his hair dyed white with black streaks running through it, in emulation of Byakko the White Tiger. "We shall sweep over our targets, and all others in our paths, to ensure the success of the Association of Light."

The four then disappeared from the mirrors, and Mizuchi stood alone. "Brother, do not worry for me; I've chosen this path, into the darkness, to spare you from what must be done for the glory of the Light."

* * *

Author's Note: As should be a surprise to no one, the duel was originally much longer and much meaner. But, I have taken the time to look at what I've done in the fandom, and realized that I was being a jerk. I was, as it were, obsesively harping on one point like a big jerk-ass and ruining everyone's good time. Sound familiar? I personally feel some self-deprication is good for the soul, which is why I redid the duel the way I did. And as a side note, my stand in for my own petty issues with a certain character gets his name from "Saito Hajime" from Rourouni Kenshin, who to me is too powerful and boring to watch in battle, and "Kishimoto Masashi", author of Naruto and creator of Sasuke Uchiha, who himself is the center of much fandom controversy regarding his power and favored status in the eyes of the author. So yeah, with this digression, we'll be getting back to the plot real soon. Thank you for putting up with me.


	15. Chapter 15

The Living Earth, The Demise of Death.

"Mokuba, have the exits been sealed?" Seto looked across the desk at his brother; it had been quite some time since he would have had to physically looked down upon him, and far longer since he did so mentally.

"Of course Big Brother. Not just physically, but psychologically too; no matter how clever, insightful, or cunning our prey may be, there's no way she'll be able to see through the illusions created by your Advanced Solid Vision system."

"Hmm, that's good then. Industrial Illusion's CEO Tsukasa has provided us with the data on the stolen deck, so all we need to do is to wait for the 'unique' cards of that deck to be played, and the system will inevitably lock her down. To think, that there are still those left in the world that continue to sully the name of dueling..." Most others would only see Seto Kaiba's drive and devotion to the game behind his actions and words, but Mokuba knew his brother, and could see the thoughts that plagued his heart, even though he didn't understand.

"Big Brother, why are you letting what happened so long ago bother you now? I mean, you haven't been that person for a long, long time, so why?" Seto Kaiba sighed, and looked upon his brother with...envy?

"Mokuba, all those years ago I struggled so very hard to keep you innocent, yet I failed. If not for...outside factors...I was willing to become frozen, a monster like Gozaburo wanted of me, to keep you safe. And yet it was not enough. That is the true danger that this criminal represents, and so long as that darkness that once resided in me walks the Earth, I will see it snuffed out." This rare moment of open expression between brothers ceased, and Seto Kaiba's face was once more frozen. "Keep me updated on the progress of all the participants, particularly Edo Phoenix; if he does something rash, be prepared to stop him from his own foolishness."

"Yes Big Brother." Mokuba stood up and turned away, not saying anything more; Seto Kaiba didn't have to tell him when he needed to be alone, but it still troubled him anyway. Even with his heart broken and rebuilt, even with the tower that was Gozaburo's legacy of hatred destroyed, Mokuba feared that his big brother would never truly be free of who he used to be.

Which was why he would do everything in his power to help him, no matter what

* * *

"How curious." Misawa said, examining the grave before him, marked with the name 'Akaoni'. There were several rows of graves, some marked with the names of other monsters in Misawa's deck, others left blank. He walked about them, mentally tracing the path from one to the next. He repeated the path to be certain, then spoke aloud. "_Shi_." Having called out the Kanji for 'death' that was traced by the graves that marked his monsters, the Kanji lit up for a moment, and right above the grave that maked Akaoni's apparent demise, appeared the key that he sought. "A bit clever, I'll concede, but little more then a beginner's Sudoku puzzle for me." He grabbed the key out of the air and surveyed the landscape around him; strange bones littered the ground, and ravens fought over choice scraps, a macabre yet honest representation of his deck, Misawa thought.

He took a step, and noticed the ground suddenly seemed much softer, warmer. He looked down at it closely, and saw the grass changing from a pale brown to a lush green. Really, it was remarkable how convincing the latest advances in Solid Vision technology were; he could even convince himself that he could smell the grass coming to life. He watched as the names on the graves faded away, and the ravens seemed to scatter of their own volition, and just as the worms began to emerge too.

"Hello there," A voice called out from the distance, "I take it that you're the one responsible for this environment that a Shinigami would comfortably call home." It was a woman, a tall woman; taller then him, yet very decidedly lanky, and she wore around herself a large necklace in the design of a familiar blue dragon.

"I am. And you are undoubtedly the one who's brought the blessing of Seiryu with you." Misawa then held out the key he'd retrieved not a moment ago. "I assume that you're after this one." The woman held her key out in response, and the two resonated for a moment. "Well then, it looks like two mythological forces are about to collide, and it'll be up to us as their mortal representatives to determine which will emerge victorious." The two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed awkwardly.

"Did you rehearse all that?" The woman said as she adjusted her necklace.

"No more then you did. It just...seemed appropriate somehow." Misawa then withdrew his key, keeping it secure. "I'm Daichi Misawa. And you?"

"Along with my key, my name will be yours if you win. For the time being, you can call me the Apostle of Seiryu." Misawa looked at her curiously, and shrugged.

"A most curious title, but I accept this challenge." The two duelists squared off in the middle of the decidedly undecided battlefield. "I'll start by summoning Lady in Wight in defense mode, and end my turn." The undead woman appeared between two graves and gripped tightly to each of them.

"An intriguing opening move, one worthy of your ranking." The apostle of Seiryu said as she drew her card. "But something about it seems a little...off to me. Somehow, you don't strike me as the sort of duelist who should be using such a passive strategy." She continued without giving Misawa a chance to respond. "I start my turn by playing the field spell card, Fertile Earth." The ground beneath Misawa's feet grew more firm, more resilient. "So long as this card is on the field, whenever a rock monster is sent from the field to the grave, the controller of that monster can draw one card. I now summon Muka Muka in attack mode, which gains three hundred attack points per card in my hand." A six legged creature covered in a heavy shell, with rocky protrusions that released steady clouds of smoke sticking out its back, that was Muka Muka with 1800 attack points. "Now I end my turn."

"Good. I was about to say that you shouldn't judge my strategy just from one card, but now I can show you. I play Call to Yomi; by discarding Undead monsters in my hand equal in level to monsters on your side of the field, I can send them to the grave. Therefore, I discard two level one Skull Servants to send your level two Muka Muka to the grave." Spectral hands reached up from beneath Muka Muka and dragged him down below, killing the grass around it in the process. But the grass was renewed only a moment later, and the blooming of flowers was timed to the drawing of the Apostle of Seiryu's card. "Now I summon King of Skull Servants, who gains two thousand attack points for the two skull servants in my grave, and attack directly!" The blue robed skeleton casually floated across the field and placed his hand on the Apostle's head, squeezing tightly for 2000 points of damage. "That's the end of my turn."

"Hmm," The Apostle of Seiryu said in a low rumble, "It seems you've misunderstood my words, and saw only the surface. Again, surprising, but allow me to clarify; the passiveness I referred to was the one-sideded nature of your duel; your monsters die and come back to life, but there is no rebirth, there is no continuance, no lineage. As compared to a duel that draws on the full cycle, of both life and death, it can't be anything but passive and unseeing." She looked upon Misawa in a way that he couldn't readily identify; it was...it was... "I now summon Rockstone Warrior to the field and attack King of Skull Servants." The stocky warrior attacked, and was swatted down effortlessly, as he had only 1800 attack points. However... "I take no battle damage in a battle involving Rockstone Warrior, and when destroyed in battle, I can then special summon two rockstone tokens in defense mode. Further, with Fertile Earth's effect, I draw one card." As the two tokens emerged, squat and square, another flower blossomed between them, again in timing to the card that she drew. "Demonstrate whether you understand this now, Misawa. End turn."

"Heh, I guess I can see what you're trying to say, but this deck of mine is to me a reminder of the past; of the wisdom and knowledge that shouldn't be forgotten so easily, even if it was in many ways misguided. So I say to you, Apostle of Seiryu, that you're the one who can't see! I summon Shutendoji from my hand, and he will attack alongside King of Skull Servants." Both members of the undead smashed the tokens into rubble, leaving nothing behind that could even encourage growth. "Now I set one card, and end my turn."

"So you say, but it's like they say, 'the author is dead'; what you say your deck and your dueling may mean is meaningless when placed against what those around you say. And I see little reason to doubt that your peers would perceive you in any different way from how I've done. True, their opinions might change over time, but the first impressions last; they are enduring." She said this with a heartfelt weight, heavy and warm like loam. "But even these things rot away in time; the important matter is how you grow from that. I summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs in defense mode, set one card, and end my turn."

"That's...very interesting." Misawa could feel it, irrational as it was; this woman was struggling to reveal something, something deeply personal. He felt honored, and yet... "I sacrifice Lady in Wight to summon the Nine Tailed Fox!" With the arrival of his spirit partner, Misawa felt instantly calmed, the tension he'd felt drifting away like sand in the wind. "Now, because the Lady in Wight has been sent to my grave, my King of Skull Servants gains another thousand attack points; King of Skull Servants, Death Touch!" The King walked up to that wall, and simply tapped it with its finger, causing to erode away, like dust in the wind. "Now, Nine Tailed Fox, attack directly!" As the fox's tails stretched toward their target, a great stone fist emerged from the ground, blocking it.

"My trap card, Stone Grasp; by discarding a Rock monster from my hand, I can negate a direct attack." Misawa directed Shutendoji to attack, and sure enough Stone Grasp stopped that one as well. Still, she couldn't possibly keep it up for very long. "Tell me Misawa, do you believe that you will always have time? Time to fix mistakes, time to take opportunities? Do you believe that you will always be able to get back up again?"

"What are you driving at?" Misawa noticed that the Nine Tailed Fox was growling fiercely, wrapping her tails around him protectively; this 'Apostle of Seiryu', she was not a normal duelist, that much was obvious now. "Something happened to you, that's obvious, but what isn't obvious is how it connects to me." Misawa could just barely make out an aura of power around her, but couldn't discern anything more then that. Still, his face down Judgment of Enma would saveguard him, even if she somehow destroyed all his monsters.

"Hmm, a one-sided duel, a vision that only extends into death, a child who sees what he wishes to see and not the truth that he fears. Misawa, I see you in myself, and I want to help you."

"Well, I'm sorry about that, but I don't need any help. As a matter of fact, right now I have a dear friend who needs mine, and I'd appreciate you not delaying me unduly before returning to him. End turn."

"Help a dear friend...the parallels are uncanny." For a moment, it sounded to Misawa that she...she was. She was stifling a sob. The look in her eyes, Misawa knew what it was now; it was the look in a Mother's eyes, grieving for her child. He himself had a cousin once, and recalled the look on his aunt's face all to well. "I won't allow this to happen again, I will set fate on the proper course. First, I discard Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warrior to special summon from my hand Valkyrion the Magna Warrior." One of the cards made famous by the legendary duelist Yuugi Mutou, here? And yet, despite the impressive attack power, even greater then his own King of Skull Servants at present, the Nine Tailed Fox seemed more afraid of the remaining card in her hand.

"Wait..." Misawa then noticed what it was that she'd said, what she'd said about fate. "Are you connected with Professor Saiou?" The woman smiled sadly in response.

"You're very smart, and once you can see clearly, you'll be able to avoid any further mistakes in the future. I now remove all eight rock monsters in my grave to special summon my remaining monster, Megarock Dragon!" A wrenching rumbling rocked the earth beneath them, as each of her rock monsters emerged from the ground, tearing all the thick lush grass apart in the process. And yet, as the Megarock Dragon emerged, the life was renewed far more intensly then before. "Life and Death, Death and Life; with these two sides of the same coin, even the road of fate can be paved down and crossed. For every Rock monster removed from play for its summon, Megarock Dragon gains seven hundred attack points."

"Fif...Fifty-six hundred!" It was enough for a one hit kill by itself, which meant that he'd never be able to get five undead monsters in his grave in time. "I guess I won't be advancing past this point, and I won't even get your name." Misawa then mentally apologized to Momiji; after all, he'd promised to give him another rematch, one where the reclusive duelist would no longer need to hide his true potential.

"Megarock Dragon, attack Shutendoji, Rage of Seiryu!" Towering columns of stone tore through the oni with the jug of sake. And as they did, a strange energy filled the air, and Misawa found it hard to concentrate. He felt a warm, heavy, yet bony presence wrapping itself around him.

"What is...?" Misawa found it hard to see, everywhere he looked was enveloped in pure white. The presence gripped tighter, and despite the lanky limbs, there was a mature feminine feel to it. He tried to look over to the Nine Tailed Fox for guidance, but the distant howling suggested that he was...he was...what was he looking for? What was he listening for? It was so hard to concentrate!

"Relax, let the light of truth reveal itself to you. It may be uncomfortable, but you will be better for it, and be able to fulfill your true fate."

Memories flashed through Misawa's head, memories of times since before Duel Academia. He studied studiously, answered questions, and always provided help whenever possible. He was scorned for it, regarded by his peers as a busybody trying to get into the good graces of the adults. He discovered dueling, and after several precise trades formed the core of his undead deck. His peers refused to duel him, calling him a freak; what kind of nerdy academic would use a superstitious deck like that?

"But, that's why I came to Duel Academia...?" More memories forced themselves, reminded Misawa of their truth. Students who turned him aside, peers who continued to disregard his contributions. "No, Judai and the others, they're the friends that I've been looking for." He was reminded by his memories of many occasions where they were rude and ignorant, hurtful by their lack of attention. And then he saw him, Momiji, his new friend. He'd grown tall with confidence, and he casually became a member of the group. They listened to him more then they ever did him, his papers and grades rendered his own redundant. No matter how he tried to deny it, the Light was clear; it did not hide or conceal in any aspect whatsoever. It was a simple truth, that by encouraging Momiji, he'd inevitably begun down the road of his own irrelevance.

It was a humbling realization. "I just..." He would never be appreciated for the guidance and protection that he offered. "I just..." He would be forgotten, his own works used to negate his existence. "I just..." He would be tossed aside by the ones he thought of as his dear friends. "I just wanted to be recognized! I admired the legendary duelist Jonouchi, even though he never won the finals in Duelist Kingdom or Battle City, because he was someone who his friends could count on!" He felt himself sobbing, tears wrenching out of his eyes. He felt so vulnerable, so exposed...and then he felt safe, wrapped, covered, protected, both by the light, and this presence.

"You can still have that fate. In the Association of Light, your friends will see everything of what you've done for them. You haven't realized it, but you've been searching for your home, your place to be who you are, and I've come to take you there. I swear that I, Sayuri Watanabe, will see this fate brought to fruition."

"Thank you, Sayuri." Misawa said, the field now back to 'normal', a slight glow in his eyes. "I don't know what I would have done without you." He then handed his key to her.

"It's no trouble, I'm only following the path that I've been guided down by the one I trust. Be patient Misawa, soon everything will be as it should be." Sayuri then released Misawa from her hold, and held down her own painful memories. The truth was to always be aknowledged, but it did not always need to be brought up.


	16. Chapter 16

Out in Space, Out of Her Mind

"Okay, I hope whoever's behind this area doesn't really think astronomy works like this." Rei Saotome, in the course of her searching for her second opponent, run into some very strange things in the Virtual Realm; her own landscape was somewhat surprising to her, an encampment of her own Resonance monsters.

They'd challenged her to solve a dispute and restore harmony between them in exchange for the key. Rei knew from personal experience how real the Solid Vision system could seem, but this was a level of real beyond even that! The dispute itself was fairly clever too; it seemed that a troop of Homonculus the Alchemic Beings had passed through, and Resonance Maiden and Resonance Reaper were in conflict over whether to befriend the new comers, or whether to capture them and harness their power. The troop was evenly divided between the two options, and Rei would have to serve as arbiter. Naturally, she wanted to suggest the friendly option, but somehow she doubted that a challenge that was ultimately devised by Seto Kaiba would prove so simple, so she questioned Resonance Reaper on why it was that she wanted to capture the Homonculi. The reaper smiled, and said that she'd witnessed the Homonculi attacking a group of Giant Rats unprovoked, demonstrating that overtures of friendship would be useless. Resonance Maiden responded by claiming Resonance Reaper made the attack up to justify her plan, but Rei promptly silenced both sides. She realized the trick of the challenge, and asked where the Homonculi were, saying that she'd need their side, as the third party involved, to settle the dispute fairly.

Things went smoothly after that, and while the Homonculi had fought with the Giant Rats, but that was after many valuable jewels were stolen from them, by the rats in question. Now with all suspicion cleared, a new union was formed, and Rei had her key.

And yet, despite how unusual that was, it still didn't come close to standing on a beach while Jupiter filled half the sky! As Rai stared at the bizarre sight, a new and still more bizarre sound availed itself to her ears; like the noise a dolphin make, except it was more like a person trying to imitate aforementioned dolphin, and as the sound grew closer, Rei could see someone riding on a large bright blue dolphin! It was a woman, possibly American given her blond hair, her blue eyes, and her...other features. The woman came onto the beach and spoke to the dolphin.

"Thank you my precious space friend, you're always there for a loving maiden like me!" The way the woman spoke to the hologram, with reverence plain and clear in her eyes, Rei couldn't help but suspect that the woman thought it was real.

"Of course, Elaine Brown," the dolphin said as he stood up, revealing that the only dolphin like quality was his head, the rest of the body decidedly humanoid. "Remember, your cosmic friends will always be with you!" He then departed back into the ocean, and Rei shook her focus back into being.

"I believe you have something I need, 'Elaine Brown'." Rei said, getting the woman's attention.

"Oh, you're from Duel Academia, and...yes, you're Osiris Red. That means you know Judai Yuki. When I win, you're simply going to have to introduce me to him."

"No. Way." Rei couldn't believe it; it was absurd and impossible beyond even the giant jupiter hanging in the sky. "You have to be at least twenty-five."

"Twenty seven, actually." Elaine said, striking a pose to emphasize her figure, not that she needed to. "But there's plenty of precedence for this in the world of dueling. Just look at Katsuya Jounouchi and Mai Kujaku." Rei raised her eyebrows in concerned skepticism.

"You did not just seriously compare yourself to Mai Kujaku, the legendary duelist, did you? And besides, Judai's been claimed, twice over."

"Ho ho, Judai could be claimed a hundred times over, but none of you 'children' could ever posess the qualifications I posess." Rei rolled her eyes.

"Okay, let's get this over with; the sooner I effortlessly kick your bleached blonde butt, the better!"

* * *

"Finish this, Dragon of the Emperor's Light; Holy Insight Sublimation!" Manjoume laughed as his opponent, a Pro Duelist named Gorou Machida, was helpless to save his his Tyranno Infinity, armed with 8000 attack points, as it fell before the majesty of his dragon.

"You...you..." The pro duelist staggered about his feet, then righted himself. "You've shown me something incredible, Manjoume. I apologize for the attitude before, I hadn't seen the light yet." The man bowed before Manjoume.

"It's nothing at all; the important thing is that the superior duelist won, as it should be. Do be sure to spread the word of the Light."

"Yes, of course, the Light. I would be remiss to let my friends walk blind now that I can see."

* * *

"Now, little girl, witness the power of the deck infused with the justice of space! I summon Neo-Spacian Air Humming Bird in defense mode!" What appeared was a creature that was much alike the blue skinned dolphin man, except that it was a red feathered bird man. Bizarrely enough, the feathers on the wings were of a different colour. The strangeness of the creature was then exceeded by the sudden transformation of the cards in Rei's hands into flowers! "During the main phase, Air Humming Bird can recover for me five hundred life points for every card in your hand." Air Humming Bird then flew over to the flowers that had blossomed from Rei's cards and started...suckling on them, apparently. "Now my life points are at sixtyfive hundred, and I end my turn."

"Infused with the justice of space?" Rei looked the strange monster up and down. "Well, it's weird enough to qualify I suppose, though I wouldn't really be proud of it like that."

"Hey! I had to journey out into space for these cards, so if I want to be proud of them, I will be! And since my deck is sublimely unique, and Judai inherited his deck from Kouyou Hibiki, that just proves how destined we are meant to be!"

"When you said you were twenty-seven, are you sure you didn't just mean seven? Don't bother, I'm taking my turn now. I summon Resonance Reaper and equip her with Shadow Doubt." The woman in black who appeared wielded a scythe that had been modified for war. She held her scythe out, and the shadow grew deeper, wider. "Now, Resonance Reaper's attack power has been raised by five hundred to two thousand, and when she destroys a monster by battle, you have to randomly discard a card from your hand. Resonance Reaper, attack!" The reaper swung her scythe, severing the shadow of the Air Humming Bird's neck, which was shortly thereafter followed by the severing of the real one. The shadow of the scythe then whipped up to Elaine's hand and snapped down, taking one of her cards with it. "Now, I'll set two cards, and end my turn." Elaine for a moment looked like she would be livid, but she calmed herself quickly.

"Heh, little girl, I think you'll find that that move you just pulled will be working against you. I start by playing Convert Contact; since I control no cards on the field, I can discard Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin from my hand and Neo-Spacian Ground Mole from my deck to draw two cards. And now I play Cocoon Party, to special summon a Chrysalis monster from my deck for every Neo-Spacian in my grave, and with the Flare Scarab that you sent to my grave a moment ago, that means four all together. Come Pinny, Pantail, Dolphin, and Larva!" Four splashes of light dashed across the field, leaving behind what seemed to be clear cocoons containing overly cutesy baby animals, some terrestrial and others not of this Earth.

"Ooh, I'm so scared! How will I ever defend myself from the teeny tiny animals of space justice? Eek, I'm doom-ed!" Rei couldn't help the over-the-top mockery; really, the woman should have expected it, using such a patently ridiculous looking deck.

"Trust me, this deck is every bit the equal of Judai's deck, and there's no way a half-pint little girl like you could ever match either of us. And now I take us to the realm where I found my deck, with the field spell card Neo-Space!" The area all around the duelists changed, becoming a panoply of rainbow colors and lights. "With Neo-Space on the field, I can now sacrifice my Chrysalis monsters to special summon their corresponding Neo-Spacian forms from my hand and deck!" The cocoons were shattered, and the little baby creatures, bathed in the bizarre otherworldly energies of Neo-Space, quickly matured to adulthood. "And just as my Chrysalis babys grow up in the space justice of Neo-Space, Judai will grow most mature in the bathing waves of my love!"

"Okay, before we go any further with this, I just want you to understand that you are obviously, and completely, insane. I mean, you can't really think that you went into Neo-Space or whatever for real, right?"

"Oh ho ho," Elaine laughed like a noblewoman. "Trust me, I will demonstrate that my power is quite real, little girl. The next step in my space-justice combo is Space Gift, allowing me to draw one card for each Neo-Spacian on the field. And now I sacrifice Neo-Spacians Glow Moss and Dark Panther to summon from my hand, the greatest hero this earth and space has ever known, Space Hero Neos!" Rei thought that Space Hero Neos resembled Elemental Hero Earth, except it seemed...empty somehow. Void of personality, warmth, or soul. "And now I return my Neos and his friends to my deck to activate the special power of Neos; Contact Fusion!" Neos grunted to Aqua Dolphin and Flare Scarab, and the three leaped into the air, where the image of a spiral galaxy appeared. A flash of light later, and Space Neos reappeared, seemingly engaged in a bizarre cosplay combination of the other two Neo-Spacians. "Now, I activate the first effect of Space Hero Steam Neos; I discard one card from my hand, and force you to discard every monster from your hand, dealing five hundred damage for each one!" Pores opened up on Steam Neos's chest, releasing a thick cloud that covered the whole of Rei's hand, and when it faded, it all ended up in the grave. "And now, with Steam Neos's other effect, he gains four hundred attack points for every other card on the field, and with the five hundred point bonus from Neo-Space itself, that means Steam Neos rises from three thousand attack points to fifty-one hundred! Attack, my glorious space hero, and finish this duel!" But as the Space Hero Neos powered up and rushed toward its target, clots of dirt suddenly grabbed hold of him and started weighing him down.

"My trap card, Decayed Dirt, which I can activate thanks to you sending my Earth attribute Resonance Warden to the grave, means I get to reduce your monster's attack power to zero!" The dirt continued to gather upon Steam Neos, weighing it down more and more until it stopped right in front of Resonance Reaper, it's head the perfect position to receive execution. Resonance Reaper did not hesitate, and the shadow of her scythe claimed another card from Elaine's hand. "Well, looks like your vaunted Space Hero didn't quite perform to expectations. But hey, maybe those space aliens sold you bum cards on purpose."

"Hah, that's what you think you little twerp, but the power of the justice of space doesn't stop here; I activate the quick spell, Reverse of Neos! When a Contact Fusioned Neos monster is destroyed, I can special summon Neos back from my deck, with a one thousand attack point boost! Attack, my one true hero!" As Neos flew across the field, a cloud of darkness spread out from around Resonance Reaper, overtaking the hero of space.

"And now my other trap card, Annulling Darkness; for every monster in each of our graves, my dark attribute Resonance Reaper gains three hundred attack points, but is destroyed after damage calculation." Space Hero Neos had a formidable 4000 attack points, but with the thirteen monsters, eleven of which were in Elaine's graveyard, Resonance Reaper gained an attack power of 5900, once more severing Neos's head and claiming another card in Elaine's hand. The cloud of darkness then reversed upon Resonance Reaper, and claimed her life.

"You sure are persistent, brat, but I will emerge victorious, for the one true hero of space must fulfill his promise to unite me with my one true love! I play Descent of Neo-Space, sending one Neo-Space card I control to the grave and special summon Neos back once more! Now, you have nothing left, and while I can't yet finish you on this turn, I will not hesitate to repay the insult you've delivered to me! Neos, Wrath of Neos!" The space hero, at long last, committed a true strike, bringing Rei down to 500 life points, as compared to Elaine's 2600. "Now, my turn is over, and you'll be finished on the next turn."

With the furious fury of attacks and exchanges of the previous turn, both duelists had managed to work up a bit of a sweat. "You know, I have to admit Elaine, when you look past the crazy obsession, you're actually a pretty damn good duelist." Rei wiped her brow. "So since you don't need the act, why not just drop it?" Elaine shook her head in denial.

"It is not an act! When I saw Judai dueling that little witch Asuka, I knew that he had to be the one, and I needed this unique, one of a kind duel to show him what I can offer him." With so much energy drained in the dueling, Rei could now see the other side of her opponent.

"That's...that's just sad. I need to end this now, so we can begin the real work. My turn!" Rei drew her her card, and she knew it was the key card for victory this turn. "I play my spell card, Fallen Fusion, removing Resonance Reaper, Resonance Warden, and Resonance Warrior from my grave to fusion summon Resonance Lady of Three-in-One!" The Reaper, Maiden, and the Warrior gathered together, and as they vanished, a six armed woman, towering near twelve feet tall with 3000 attack points. "The Lady of Three-in-One's effect depends on the attributes of the Resonance monsters fused into her; Reaper's dark gives her the ability to destroy a card whenever she does battle damage, Warden's earth keeps her from being destroyed in battle, and Warrior's fire...when she destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to the attack power of the destroyed monster." Resonance Lady of Three-in-One struck decisively, and the fire of her soul was amplified by Neos's remains and washed over Elaine. The grown woman then fell to her knees in abject shock.

"No, this can't be happening." Elaine Brown whispered quietly to herself. "Without him, without my dream, what do I have?" Rei walked up to the woman, looked her in the eye, and then slapper her across the face.

"Come on, so you're not going to get together with some guy you don't know and haven't even ever met; is that really such a crushing disaster? Come on, pull yourself together! Not saying you can't like a guy, but come on...you can't base your whole...world around him." Rei smiled to herself ironically; boy, nothing like running into an obsessive loon to put your own life in perspective, she thought to herself.

"But...what else is there for me to do? I mean, I've been all by myself for so long now, I can't take it anymore."

"So you'll settle for a high school kid?" Rei was not about to let her sympathy and understanding lead her to coddle the woman; she was an adult for crying out loud! "Look, you didn't go out into space on a row-boat or whatever to get that deck, did you?" Elaine nodded silently. "Right, you got it like everyone else, and that's way more impressive then some impossible flight of fancy. Even Judai didn't get his deck on a silver platter; he had to earn it from Kouyou. So buck up, and take a good look at yourself; drop the super special destined unique one crap, and make something real of yourself! Get some real friends to hang out with, and...if you find a cute guy, go ahead and go after him, but keep it all in perspective! You don't need him or anyone else like him...to validate you!" Rei had to force a lot of those words out, on account of remembering all the times where she was being clingy or jealous, even manipulative, especially with Judai. Elaine sniffled a bit.

"You really think so? Everyone's always called me a weirdo loser, but I figured that if I were really, really special, if I were chosen, then it didn't matter what they said. But...I don't have to? I can...be me and that'll be good enough?"

"Damn straight! Like I said before, your deck is really strong, and with everything I've learned at Duel Academia, that means you've got a strong soul too, but only if you can get back up again." Elaine looked up at Rei, and lifted herself back up.

"Thanks Rei, you've got a good head on your shoulders. You'd definitely be able to handle that Judai kid. Well, I guess I got to take off, maybe go find a real beach and look at the real ocean for a change." Rei then shook hands with her very strange opponent.

"Takes all kinds, I guess." And she took off herself, continuing in the KC EVRC.


	17. Chapter 17

The Veil of Darkness, Blown Away

"Voltanis the Adjudicator, finish this pathetic wannabe off!" Junko Makita exulted as her monster used its effect and destroyed not only the opposing monster, but the traps waiting behind him as well. The attack was swift and certain, leaving the self-proclaimed 'trap-master' Gregor Baker exposed for the weakling that he truly was. "And you claimed to be the third overall in the European division; if that was really the case, then the duelists there must be truly pitiful."

"So you're going to look down on me, just for...for losing this one match...?" Gregor didn't know when it was that he'd fallen down, but he must have, for how else could Junko, nearly a foot shorter than him, be towering over him, as though truly standing among the clouds?

"Yes, I will, and why shouldn't I? When it comes down to it, a loser deserves no less then to be looked down upon; it's only under such circumstances that you can really see what you're made of. It also lets you come to an understanding of who your true friends and allies are. Mine are the members of the Association of Light, and we are growing. In the wake of this tournament, the world will change and see the Light; the sooner you see the Light and begin revealing it to all others around you, the greater your place in that new world. I myself will hold a very high position, and I can see that you are fated to hold a commendable position of your own." Gregor looked up at Junko, feeling dwarfed in her presence.

"Of course. I don't understand why I was so witlessly stubborn about it before. After this is over, I'll be presenting myself to Takuma Saiou, and have him do with me what is meant to be." As Gregor gave up his key and departed, Junko found herself thinking about Momoe; it truly was a wonderful development of fate that Momoe had abandoned her, for without that descent in isolation, she would not have found her true place in life, following the path of Takuma Saiou. And whatever meaningless irritation she once felt would soon be forgotten, for the time when Momoe Hamaguchi would join the Association of Light was nigh; this, Junko Makita knew to be true.

* * *

"I'm glad I've found you. Would you tell me your name, young lady?" Momoe looked at him askance, standing on the east side of the ravine.

"Young lady? You're barely older then I am!" The young man with the striped hair returned Momoe's look with amusement in his own, the high wind sweeping through his hair.

"I suppose you have a point there. Sometimes I feel like I have an old soul, and forget that that's not really the case. Then again, it could be; how would you know one way or the other?"

"...I'm sorry, can we start over? I'm Momoe Hamaguchi, and you?" The young man bowed before her, just as .

"My name, like all secrets, is not one to be given up easily. If you win this match, you will earn my name, along with my key of course. But for the time being, you may address me as the apostle of the wind." Momoe was silent for a moment, and then she slapped herself on the head.

"Duh, Byakko the White Tiger, that's what your hair reminds me of. That's a pretty neat theme to be working from. Really fits the whole wind-swept mountain peak theme your deck generated." A sudden roaring echoed from the valley below, a Legendary Fiend flew up past the two duelists. "Of course, even the gods of old don't last forever. But hey, considering that Duel Monsters originally came from Ancient Egypt, maybe your old god is on the rise as well."

"My god?" The Apostle of Wind ran his fingers through his hair. "The sentiment is much appreciated, but I'm afraid I have no such entity in my possession, in any sense of the word. But then again, it's been my experience that actions are far more effective at communication then words ever were. And we are in just the right place for action to truly communicate."

"I agree; actions are definitely the best way to communicate, especially with someone who feels far away from you. Let's duel!"

"I'll claim the first turn, and start by summoning Flying Kamakiri number one in defense mode. Then I set three cards to end my turn." The giant mantis seemed to crawl out of a hole in the cliff face, batting its wings, making the wind howl. "The wind is an invisible power, omnipresent and unseen. Devils might hide in the hearts of men, but even they fear the wind, as will you."

"So you say, but I think you'll find the darkness is a pretty good match. First I play Magical Mallet and return to cards from my hand to my deck, shuffle, and draw two more. And now that that's been taken care of, I play Mystic Plasma Zone and Field Barrier, raising the attack power of all dark monsters by five hundred for the rest of this game." Cracking storm clouds descended from above, a shining barrier surrounding them. "Now I summon Mystic Tomato and attack your Flying Kamakiri!" The fiendish tomato rolled over and over, laughing maniacally all the way through as it rolled over the Flying Kamakiri, squashing it like the bug it was. But the moment it perished, counter currents began to ram into Momoe, pounding away at her with great speed.

"My trap card, Squall of Death. So long as it is on the field, you take five hundred points of damage Every time a Wind monster is destroyed by battle. And now with Flying Kamakiri's effect, I special summon from my deck Whirlwind Prodigy." A whirling dervish of a brown haired child spun as he leaped up from the valley below, dropping into a dramatic bowing posture. "And with this special summon, I fulfill the conditions my next trap, Gathering Storm; every time a wind monster is special summoned, I can add a wind counter to this card. On the turn that I send this card to the grave, one wind monster on the field gains five hundred attack points per counter." A shell of wind gathered over the card in question. "The wind grows ever stronger and more punishing; the more you try to push it, the more it will push you, and the wind has all the weight of the world behind it, while you only have your own."

"Huh, you've got a lot of faith in unseen powers, but me and my friends, we dealt with dangers and threats that would make a little wind storm seem like a pleasant summer's breeze. But don't just take my word for it, my deck has a few choice words in store for you. End turn."

"Hah, so you say, but to speak requires the air to carry your words. If the wind itself turns against you, then not even the greatest darkness can compare. I sacrifice my Whirlwind Prodigy, whose effect allows him to be used as two sacrifices for the summon of a wind monster, and summon Simorgh the Bird of Ancestory!" A golden bird with four wings towered over the duelists, with 2900 attack points. "Now, because I summoned it in this manner, I can now return two cards from your field to your hand; I choose Mystic Tomato and Mystic Plasma Zone." Simorgh flapped all its wings, bypassing the barrier that protected the field, and tumbling the weighty Mystic Tomato back into Momoe's hand. "And since there's no sense in delaying, I will send Gathering Storm to the grave and raise Simorgh's attack power to thirty-four hundred. Simorgh, Unseen Wind Sheer!" The hurricane force winds lifted Momoe off her feet and slammed her back against the ground. She winced as her life points dropped down to 100, realizing that with Squall of Death on the field, she couldn't attack, not unless she wanted to lose immediately.

Momoe found the situation reminiscent to what had happened when she'd first entered the KC EVRC; it was pitch black, and even through her shoes she could feel the craggy, jagged rocks below her. Ominous voices echoed around her, each describing in lurid detail what they would do to her if they caught up with her. Invisible and everywhere, and seemingly no options availible. But she knew, she knew that her dear friend Junko was also here, and despite the strange change that had taken her, she was still her friend. Whatever force that drove Junko now, Momoe swore to herself that she would not lose to it. She closed her eyes, reached out, and grabbed the hidden key that she knew was there. The darkness and the voices faded, the craggy landscape no longer so threatening.

"So, that's the great invisible power of the wind? Sorry, but I'm still not impressed." The Apostle of Wind raised his eyebrows. "Even with your Squall of Death card on the field, my one hundred life points will be more then enough to carry me to victory."

"So you say; determination against unseen odds and enemies...it sounds like something out of a by-the-numbers shonen anime, doesn't it? But even a short life can be long enough to learn what a lie that is. I end my turn, Momoe Hamaguchi."

"That's fine by me. Trust me, I've had enough happen to me in my life to know that as schlocky and cliche as some of those stories get, they can come true in the end." Momoe remembered how despite what had happened last year, in her duel against The Prophet, Junko was still there for her. "I summon Mystic Tomato in defense mode, and then set one card to end my turn." Momoe wanted to return the favor, to remind her of the promise they made together.

"You don't see; or you refuse to see. But still, you are right in at least one thing; so long as you have life, or life points, left to you, you can still fight, still win. Unfortunately you're about to lose that remainder; with Simorgh on the field, I can summon a wind monster with one less sacrifice then normal. Therefore, I summon from my hand the level six Divine Fowl King Alector." A red winged figure clad in silver armor flew down from the heavens. "Divine Fowl King Alector, once per turn, can negate the effect of a face-up card on the field. Therefore, I'll negate the effect of your Mystic Tomato, preventing you from summoning a monster from your deck. Alector, attack!" The lord of fowls dashed across the valley, red wings staining the sky into blood. But as the Mystic Tomato was sliced apart by talons, it's laughter echoed, and a new demon appeared.

"Look's like someone could have used a lesson on how their own cards work; Mystic Tomato's effect activates in the grave, making Alector's effect a waste. So despite your best efforts, the Legendary Fiend is in play!"

"Humph, this changes nothing; your monster is still in attack mode, and one attack is all I need. Simorgh, finish this!" But as the bird of gold created a terrifying hurricane, a giant face appeared, hideous as any goblin, and before that face Simorgh could not advance.

"My trap card, Goblin Intolerance; I destroy one card I control and negate your attack and end the battle phase. And the card that I destroy? Field Barrier." The clear sheen that covered the sky shattered, the sky itself now falling upon the two duelists. "Oh yes, and I get to draw one card too." The Apostle of Wind narrowed his eyes in confusion as he gazed upon the Legendary Fiend.

"This power that you're drawing upon...it really is the dark power, the power that was brought out by that sociopath Daitokuji." Momoe opened her eyes wide in shock.

"Daitokuji? Were you experimented upon by him?"

"Me? I'm not the one channeling spirits; I'm not the one transmuting my soul into that of a monster for power. I'm not the one using hidden powers to corrupt those around me. I end my turn." Now the look in Momoe's eyes were livid.

"How dare you...how dare you! You know that there are still a lot of people out there that that monster tortured in the name of his experiments, and that you would try to play my sympathy like that..." Momoe remembered two borderline insane duelists, Kanako Egawa and Hisao Irie, that she and Junko had faced; it had taken a long time to track them down, and they were still being treated, even now. "This is unforgivable! Legendary Fiend gains seven hundred attack points from its own effect, and now I summon Winged Minion and sacrifice it to increase Legendary Fiend's attack power by another seven hundred, and now I play Mystic Plasma Zone once more, bringing Legendary Fiend to a grand total of thirty-four hundred attack points!" The demon roared as the heavens turned black, writhing with terrible energy.

"You could raise your monster's attack power to thirty-four thousand, and you still couldn't win; the hidden power of the wind will strike you down so decisively if you try."

"No, it can only deal five hundred points of damage, not kill me; let me show you the difference. I play Second Summon, and use that summon to bring out Goblin Attack Force. They won't be sticking around for long, because I'm going to play the permanent spell card Demon Curse; once per turn I sacrifice a demon monster to destroy one monster on your side of the field, deal damage to you equal to half that monster's attack power, and recover life points by the same amount. Goblin Attack Force, kill Simorgh!" The assembled goblins wrenched themselves against the ground, snapping their own necks as the curse claimed their souls. Those same, enraged souls, rushed upon Simorgh and tore its wings off in a terrible orgy of death. "And now with an additional fourteen-fifty hundred life points, your Divine Fowl is about to be fried! Legendary Fiend, Vicious Consumption!" The Legendary Fiend lashed out with its tentacles and dragged the opposing monster across the valley, tearing it apart to feed all its hungry mouths. Momoe felt the heavy wind lash out in vengeance, but it meant nothing to her.

"Are you quite done?" The Apostle of Wind said in an even voice. "I'll concede, you did a formidable job, and if not for what I dueled for, I'd say that you'd probably win. But...it is far too important for me to win this duel. In the face of what I've faced, in the face of the truths that I've witnessed, I will create a new truth, and win! I now activate Devil's Wind; when there are two wind monsters in my grave of level six or higher, I can remove them from play to special summon from my hand or deck, Windswept Tiger!" A deafening roar rushed past Momoe so quickly that she didn't believe it was real at first. But then she saw the tiger, white fur like a frozen cloud lined with black, black as a storm cloud. Yet while it had 3000 attack points, Momoe knew there had to be more. "Now, by returning one card I control to my hand, Squall of Death, I activate Windswept Tiger's effect, and return your Legendary Fiend to your hand!" The tiger roared once more, the fur standing on end as though swept by an incredible wind storm.

"That, that can't be right!" The tiger leaped over the demon, kicking it aside with its paw. "A monster that powerful can't possibly be able to get rid of my monster like that!"

"Why?" He said in a vindictive tone. "Because it's unexpected? Because it's not fair? I should think that you'd know better then to complain about unfairness; after all, you've benefited from that same unfairness unflinchingly for so long, so the fact that it turns against you, that is the truth, the true fairness." As the tiger lashed out at Momoe, she felt a pressure overwhelming her, a light building up from behind her eyes.

"What the hell are you trying to do to me? Is this...Is this what happened to Junko?" Momoe tried to face her opponent, her true opponent, but the light was too bright, blinding. It drowned out her senses.

"I am merely sweeping away all lies, deception, and darkness. The kind of lies that you use to conceal what you've really done from yourself, those lies I scatter across the winds. Now, see with eyes unclouded, Momoe Hamaguchi, as I do."

Momoe found herself, looking upon herself. She found herself, looking upon Junko. She found herself, seeing herself taking Junko for granted. She saw herself taking and taking, assuming and grabbing, letting her 'friend' carry her, until Junko was too tired, and then abandoning her.

"What, no! I wouldn't, I haven't abandoned her!"

"That's right." The Apostle of Wind spoke from behind the veil of light. "You misunderstand, even now; you tried to abandon your friend, your companion and partner, but she saw through you, and abandoned you first."

Momoe saw Junko in the Association of Light, and for the first time saw it for what it was; all those in the Association gave and gave, with no thought of taking. The confidence that she thought arrogance, the eagerness that she thought of as pushiness, these things and more all became clear.

"Abandon the lie, Momoe Hamaguchi. Abandon the lie that by yourself you can be yourself, and join the Association of Light." The light faded, and the valley between the two duelists was now filled in with solid bed rock.

"Well, of course I will. After all, I owe Junko, and I need to make it up to her, for ever thinking that we ought to stand apart. Thank you, Apostle of Wind." She gave him her key, no longer having need of it.

"My name is Kouta Hoshino, and I am only teaching the lessons that I've been taught, by both life, and by the only one that I can still trust." Kouta then departed, his work almost complete, at least in this place, at this time.


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: An anonymous reviewer has brought to my attention a mistake that I've been making throughout this story, that I've been referring to Mizuchi and Saiou as though Takuma was their family name, when in fact Saiou is their family name, making them Takuma Saiou and Mizuchi Saiou, and not Saiou Takuma and Mizuchi Takuma, as I've been referring to them. There fore, I will begin editing all references to their names starting here and going backwards, until accuracy has been achieved. Thank you anonymous reviewer, you've been quite helpful.

Twice Exposed, The Picture Becomes Clear

"Suzaku, the vermilion phoenix, corresponds to fire, summer, and the south. It is frequently associated with the phoenix, but the two are distinct from one another. From this, I surmise your deck is likely to be some manner of Fire Attribute Winged-Beast deck, focused around the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys." The thick woods created by Momiji's deck were now sweltering with the heat of the mid-morning sun of his opponent's deck.

"Presumptuous, aren't you?" Said the black haired woman wearing the headband of Suzaku. "I know kids your age tend to think they know everything, but most manage better tact than that." Momiji shrugged in response.

"I simply say what I've determined to be true. I...I've been working on not being so blunt about it, but I have to admit that it doesn't come easy to me." The woman narrowed her eyes, and spoke critically in turn, caustically.

"Yeah, well, there's not too much point to doing something that doesn't come easy to you. After all, there's more then six billion people in the world, and more every day; more then enough for everyone to do what's natural to them." Her face took on a rather negative cast. "Trying to force the matter is unnatural, a defiance of fate itself. Sickening." Momiji found himself curious as to the strange things his opponent just said; it was reminiscent of the things that he'd heard mentioned by those in the Association of Light, and she was very different from his earlier opponents, far more eccentric then was the norm among skilled duelists, who as a rule tended towards eccentricity.

"But at the same time, if you don't challenge yourself, if you don't try something that's hard at first, you can end up leaving entire realms of your own character untapped. That's what my friend Misawa said, and it seems entirely reasonable to me." At the mention of the name Misawa, the woman smiled cynically.

"Misawa? Humph, I think you'll find that when next you two meet, he'll be following a very different path indeed. But don't worry yourself over it; I, the Apostle of Fire, shall induct you into the Association of Light when I win this duel." Momiji's eyes grew wide; not at the mention of this 'Apostle of Fire's' intentions, but what she'd said about his friend.

"No, I don't know why you would say so, but you're lying. Misawa has no need of the Association of Light; it is little more then a self-serving cult that makes vague promises of glory for its followers. While I am entirely certain that Takuma Saiou means no harm for anyone, that he has only the best intentions, I do think that he is taking advantage of both his position and his curriculum, and I've shared these thoughts with Misawa. He agrees with me, and there's still more..." He noticed the increased anger in the woman's eyes.

"In the interest of saving time, and not burning the midnight oil idly, let us duel as we talk."

"That sounds perfectly reasonable. I'll begin by setting a monster, a card, and ending my turn."

"Is that all? It's not like it matters; this duel has already been decided, and in a most decisive manner as well. I'll begin by playing Meteor of Destruction, to inflict one thousand points of direct damage to you!" A great stone of fire shot out of the virtual sun that burned so very hot and bright in the sky, but before it could clear the canopy and strike, the mandibles of a giant insect grabbed the stone and crushed it.

"My permanent trap card, Chitinous Rage; I can once per turn discard an insect monster from my hand to negate the activation of spell or trap card and destroy it." Momiji reflected on what Misawa had said to him in their last duel, about him not using his dueling to hide; This was different, for while he was keeping himself safe, he couldn't use it to hide. There was a natural limit to how long this trap would last, but it would give him the opportunity he needed.

"Quaint, but that trap is a mere drop in the bucket; against the the challenge that you've foolishly imposed upon yourself, that drop will boil away in an instant. I now summon The Thing in the Crater in defense mode." A volcanic pit opened up in front of the Apostle of Fire, and within the shadow of that crater a pair of glowing eyes peered out, watching, waiting. "I set two cards, and end my turn, but the moment your turn begins, I activate my trap card, Raigeki Break, and discard one card from my hand to destroy one card on the field; in this case, your Chitinous Rage." A cracking thunderbolt erupted from the ground, tearing up the landscape as it surged to Momiji. Once more the pincers lashed out and smashed it away, negating the effect. "As I thought; you are a coward. You're claims of trying to be something other then what you are, are mere smokescreens; you wish to reject that which is natural to you, out of some perverse sense of dissatisfaction. Such a spoiled and ungrateful brat you are. You will be seeing the light very soon."

"No." While on the outside Momiji was as calm as ever, on the inside he felt something stirring, an emotion that he hadn't believed to be within him. "I am only attempting to develop beyond my own self-imposed limits. Giving up at the first sign of a challenge, is the most certain sign of immaturity and weakness possible. I now remove from play Atomic Firefly, which I discarded on my previous turn, to special summon Aztekipede the Worm Warrior from my hand." A giant centipede with a decided aztec motif appeared, burrowing up from below. "And now I flip summon my Four-starred Lady Bug of Doom, activating its effect to destroy your Thing in the Crater." The four star pattern on the Lady Bug's back glowed an ominous green, and The Thing in the Crater withered away. But just as it was about fade away entirely, a high pitched roar echoed from the sun.

"Impatient, and weak; your cowardice has condemned you. When The Thing in the Creator is destroyed and sent to the grave, I can special summon a Pyro monster from my hand; Solar Flare Dragon!" A blast of plasma bolted down from the sun, incinerating one of the trees and leaving behind an Asian style dragon lined with fire, arching its back to achieve full prominence. "Furthermore, because I special summoned a monster with fifteen hundred attack points or less, I can activate Reckless Inferno Summon!" Twin bolts of fire crashed down to the earth, burning away half the forest, leaving behind two more Solar Flare Dragons. At the same time, two more Aztekipede warriors burrowed up from below. "You are finished now, Momiji."

"You might have slowed me down somewhat, but my monsters are still stronger then yours, and I'm not done yet; I sacrifice my Lady Bug to summon Millennium Scorpion. Now, my scorpion, attack!" As the great scorpion, bearing the emblem of the Eye of Wdjat on its back, rushed to its target, a corona of plasma flashed into being, blocking it.

"It doesn't matter in the slightest how strong your monsters are; when Solar Flare Dragon is on the field, no other Pyro-type monsters can be attacked. Thus, with all three on the field, a lock-down has been achieved."

"I end my turn." Momiji said, concealing his frustration. But still, just as he couldn't attack, neither could she.

"Here we are; the last card I need to finish this in an absolute and decisive manner. Momiji, let me show you what comes of following the natural path without resistance. I play the spell card, Rage of the Vermilion Bird; when I control at least two Pyro monsters in attack mode, I can inflict one thousand points of direct damage to you." The image of a great fire bird flew from the south, and almost tore into Momiji, only blocked by Chitinous Rage at the very last second. "Pointless; you now no longer have any cards in your hand, and during my draw phase I can add Rage of the Vermilion Bird to my hand in place of drawing a new card. Furthermore, during my end phase, for every Solar Flare Dragon on my side of the field, you will take five hundred points of damage." Momiji's eyes grew wide with shock. "You see? It is simplicity itself, this duel of mine. At the end of this turn you will take fifteen hundred damage, and on the next you will take twenty-five hundred. There is absolutely nothing you can do about it, so just surrender."

"No, you don't know that yet; for all you know, I will draw the key card that I need to win. Your pronouncements are premature." The woman shook her head in anger.

"Stubborn to the last, you brat. Very well, I end my turn." At that moment the Solar Flare Dragons arched their backs, causing whips of plasma to strike at Momiji, burning down even more of the forest.

"I now play Greedy Locusts; since I have at least three insects on the field, I can draw two cards." Momiji looked at his new hand, and despaired; he had lost. It would quite literally make not even the slightest difference whether or not he played these cards; at the end of the next turn, his life points would be brought to zero. He could resist, but what would the point be?

"The point," the memory of Misawa in Momiji's head said, "Is to do your best no matter what, and to not hide for any reason at all. If you don't face your challenges to the very end, no one will ever know what you're truly capable of, and I know that that would be the greatest shame of all." Momiji nodded at the memory. He had given up before against Misawa, but he wouldn't give up now; this passion was the feeling he'd forgotten, and he would know it by facing the most difficult challenge he could.

"Now, I play Seed Cannon; for every plant monster I special summon, I can add a plant counter to it, and send it to the grave to deal five hundred points of damage for every counter. And next, I play Converting Life, sacrificing all my insects to special summon from my deck plants of equal or lower level." Fairy King Truesdale, Prickle Fairy, Dreamsprite, and Botanical Lion; those were the four plants summoned, and the Seed Cannon was heavy with its payload. Momiji sent it to the grave, dropping seeds that were more like bombs behind the line of Solar Flare Dragons, dealing 2000 points of damage.

"And yet, for all that noise and fury, it amounts to nothing." The woman said, her anger beginning to ebb. "Your pointless resistance to fate has ended. I now add Rage of the Vermillion Bird back to my hand, and play it once more." The bird flew across the forest, burning all the rest of it down as it struck Momiji across the chest. Momiji winced and rubbed the tender area. "Now, end turn." As the prominence of plasma overtook him, Momiji saw a field of pure white beginning to surround him. And then, just as suddenly, it changed.

* * *

"Come on Takuma, Mizuchi, my secret place is just up ahead!" The girl, about six or so years old, said to her cousins as they ran after her, her pale blue hair ringed by a circlet of flowers. Despite the fact that they were about twelve, Takuma and Mizuchi found it difficult to keep up with the bundle of energy named Momiji. But in time, they reached what Momiji also called her 'veil of sanctuary', a portion of the woods that dipped below, hiding in plain sight. The three children collapsed as they recovered their breaths, and with that accomplished, Momiji sat up and looked at her cousins. "No one's ever gonna find us here, or listen in on us, so now you can do it, now you can tell me my future!"

"Momiji," Mizuchi said with a firm tone, "We all know that you're a very bright girl." She recalled how Momiji's parents had shown off her special commendation from the department of education, declaring that she would soon be skipped to third grade. "But don't you think you're trying to rush things too much? You have so much ahead of you, you wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, would you?" Momiji shook her head.

"No, I want to know now so I can get ready for it! Come on Takuma, you've got to do this for me, after the gift I gave you last night."

"Well," Takuma said as he touched the gift in question, the circlet with the tuft of white against his dark blue hair, his gentle tone indicative of his answer, "all right, I'll try and see what I can find out. But don't get angry with me if you don't like what you hear, okay Momiji?"

"O-kaaay." Momiji said, rolling her eyes in impatience. "So what do I have to do? Should I cross my legs, or my eyes, or stand on my head, or..." Takuma then took his Tarot deck out of his pocket, and shushed the little girl.

"Patience. Just, focus on who you are, and the energies will align themselves. I will then read the cards to see what's in store for you. Sister, could you please bring out your mirror too? There are things that you see that I don't, and I don't think Momiji should be left out in any way." Mizuchi sighed, but smiled.

"All right brother, but just this once." She then took out an elaborate hand mirror from her back pack, and held it before her. "Remember Momiji, just focus on who you are, and I will see into the mirror to find out your future."

Takuma shuffled his deck several times, giving the energies of existence their chance to make their influence known. Momiji focused intently on that deck, and on Mizuchi's mirror both. Takuma drew the first card.

"Temperance, in the upright position." Then he drew the next card. "The...Devil?" Takuma found himself hesitant to draw the next card; a great weight seemed to gather on it, on himself, on all of them.

"Takuma, we need to stop!" Mizuchi yelled, pushing her mirror into the ground. "We've done something wrong, we need to stop!" The air was as molasses, none of them could move, not even Momiji, who'd become silent and still.

"I...I need to see this through. Momiji...Momiji deserves the truth!" He drew the final card, The Moon, and somehow it was as though a hammer blow had descended upon all of them.

Mizuchi was the first to come to, and she shook her brother awake. "Brother, are you okay, please tell me you're still okay!" Takuma saw the fear and concern in his sisters eyes, and reproached himself for not listening to her.

"Yes, I'm just fine. What about Momiji?" The two Saiou siblings crawled over to their cousin, and tried to rouse her. She did not wake, and if not for her steady breath, she would almost seem dead. Takuma collapsed and weeped. Mizuchi was conflicted between the need to go get help, and the need to support her brother in his time of need. The latter won out, and for several hours the siblings huddled together, terrified of what would happen, too afraid to even find out.

* * *

"You time wasting brat!" Momiji came to with the stinging sensation of the Apostle of Fire slapping him in the face. "Why didn't you tell me you'd already been touched by the Light?" The woman sighed, and then relaxed. "Oh well, it doesn't change anything, not really. Even though it would have helped a great deal if you wore your Association of Light arm band like you're supposed to." The woman stood there, shedding her frustration the way a snake sheds its skin.

"You...you are..." The woman looked down at Momiji, then pulled him up.

"I'm Yumi Ayame. I still don't get why Mizuchi sent me after you when you were already one of us, but maybe she was just testing me or something. Well, as you could see I performed my task with flying colors, more then enough for what must be done. Just remember Momiji, do what comes natural and easy to you, and fate will resolve itself as it is supposed to." The woman then took the key from Momiji's unresisting hand and departed. Momiji stood there, thinking, pondering.

"But...why didn't I remember that? What...was that light I saw? And..." He felt at the sarashi beneath his uniform, compressing his chest, wondering just when it was that this transition of his had begun, and why. Whatever the answers were, they lay with the Association of Light, and with Saiou Takuma. But first, he had to find Misawa, and warn him of the danger he was in.


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Once again I would like to thank the anonymous reviewer who pointed out my mistake regarding Takuma's and Mizuchi's surname. I have fixed this mistake and will not make it again. That is all.

* * *

Clash in the Divine Ocean

"Hello, Shou." Rei Saotome said as she stood on one side of the street of the Magical Citadel of Endymion. Shou looked back at her, almost arrogant in his un-concern towards her. He held up four keys, and smiled. "I see you've managed to get your four keys." Rei then held up her four keys. "And I've got mine. It looks like we're going to be have a rematch before long; get a chance to see how well the deck of a duelist who broke his word does against the one who held theirs, hmm?"

"Sorry Rei," Shou said with a light laugh, "But you're not going to get your rematch, not now and not ever. See, I and the rest of the members of the Association of Light, we'll just accept the right-hand path." A pair of glowing doorways opened behind Shou, framing him in their light, washing him out in their presence. "See, we've already converted plenty of high ranking duelists inside Duel Academia and out to establish the glory of the Association of Light. And there's no need for us to face the mystery duelist; Lord Saiou has already assured us that she can't be defeated."

"Lord?" Rei's eyes were twitching in shock. "Okay Shou, you do understand that Saiou isn't a 'Lord' or anything of the sort, right? He's just a teacher with a very popular student organization. I mean, I know you guys think you're going to change the world, but don't you think you're over blowing things a bit much?" Shou responded by smiling smugly, the way one does when they're holding a secret over your head.

"Oh Rei, if this was the time for your enlightenment, you would understand the full wonder and glory that our Lord Saiou has shown to us all. Misawa, Momoe, and Momiji have already been brought into the Light, and Asuka will soon follow. After that, it won't be long until you, Judai, and all the remaining stragglers on Duel Academia have seen the Light, and joined the Association of Light. When that day comes, it will be the happiest day of my life. You've no idea how sad I've been, that you all have been keeping yourself in the dark for so long, but that time is about to end." Shou stepped towards the right door, and Rei rushed across the street to intercept him. She now stood less then ten centimeters from him.

"You, who are you?" Rei narrowed her eyes at the duelist that she thought she knew. "You can't be Shou Marufuji; I knew him, and Judai told me all about him, and he would never be so selfish as you're being right now. He'd never be so arrogant or conceited, so full of himself that his eyes may as well have turned brown!" Rei saw that Shou was unaffected, but continued on regardless. "Shou, Judai and Asuka said that something had happened to you and the others, but I wasn't really sure whether I believed them, but now I do. Shou, what's happened to you?"

"Rei, nothing's 'happened' to me. This is what I'm really like, I was just too scared to embrace it. But now that I've seen the Light, I don't need to hide who I am anymore. I know you don't understand, but when the time comes, you will Rei. But now my time is up, and I need to meet up with the others." Shou shoved Rei out of the way, stepped through the doorway, and vanished with it. Rei stood there, staring at where her...she couldn't really say friend, not with the stunt she had pulled on him, she realized.

"But that doesn't meant that I can't care. And...Asuka!" Rei slapped herself in the forehead. "I've got to get to her before it's too late. Fortuantely, it shouldn't be too hard to find her." She had after all, already passed by a shrine by the ocean, so Asuka couldn't be too far off.

* * *

"So, before we begin, may I have your name?" Asuka said, standing on the pier just outside the shrine to Otohime. "While given this setting you could call yourself Hoori, I doubt that such a coincidence could be genuine." The man stood on the ocean, ripples extending from his feet, his face controlled.

"Indeed, it is not Hoori." The man tugged at his black jacket, the lines on it giving the sense of a turtle's shell. "However, you will not be hearing my real name until the end of this duel. So for the time being, you can address me as the Apostle of Water, Asuka Tenjouin."

"Is that so? Well, I've dueled stranger duelists in this place alone; I even had to keep a vigilant prayer going for thirty minutes in a burning temple to get my first key; never would have thought that the Solid Vision could feel so real, but then again, I've faced worse back at Duel Academia. So if that's your term for this duel, then I accept! I start by summoning Mother Grizzly in defense mode, set one card, and end my turn."

"A standard starting move for you, from what I've heard. But I can see why; why change what works? A flexible strategy like that, one that can adapt to any flow, is not one to be tossed aside lightly. But such a strategy can be exceeded on it's own merits, and what then? I start by discarding Atlantean Soldier to add A Legendary Ocean to my hand, and then I play it." The water of the ocean began to rise, enveloping both duelists; oddly enough, while they could still breathe without issue, the looser aspects of their being, their coats and hair, were lifted as though supported by real water. "With this field spell card, all water monsters in our hands and on the field have their level reduced by one, while their attacks are raised by two hundred. By bringing it down to its lowest level, I unlock the ultimate potential of Atlantean Pikeman, and equip it with the Amulet of Ambition!" An ugly fishman shot up from the deep, his spear and its seizable spearhead leading the way. At the same time a heavy amulet with the emblam of a living eye dropped down from above and landed around the Atlantean Pikeman's neck, such as it was. "Atlantean Pikeman's been reduced to level one while its attack's been raised to sixteen hundred, and with Amulet of Ambition, whenever it battles a higher level monster it gains five hundred attack points for ever level of difference. In short, no matter what you summon, Atlantean Pikeman will always be stronger. Pikeman, attack Mother Grizzly!"

Driven by what seemed to be an insatiable envy, the Atlantean Pikeman attacked with a 3100 attack power force, twisting in the water and diving through the Mother Grizzly like a drill. With one final roar the Mother Grizzly called in the Cure Mermaid. "Now," The Apostle of Water said, "I set one card and end my turn. But tell me Asuka, how do you plan on winning? There's not a monster you can summon that can overpower my own; it will always find a way to overcome, a path to victory, because it acknowledges what truly drives it."

"So you say." Asuka said with an eager grin. "It's formidable, I'll grant it that, but there's more in heaven and earth then are spoken of in such a base philosophy. I now summon Cyber Petit Angel to add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand, and play it, sacrificing Cyber Petit Angel and Cure Mermaid on my field and Cold Enchanter in my hand to Ritual summon Cyber Angel Dakini!" The Cyber Angel descended from on high, a sphere of air generated by the divine light of her presence. She tossed a spear shining with the purest light at the Atlantean Pikeman, bisecting it cleanly. "Now that you have nothing left to guard you, Cyber Angel Dakini will attack directly!" Dakini brandished her weapons between her four arms and leaped to attack. However, a massive current, twisting and turning around itself, dissipated her attack.

"My permanent trap card, Tornado Wall, reduces the damage your attacking monsters deal to me to zero, for so long as Umi is on the field, and Legendary Ocean counts as Umi. If one method fails, use another without hesitation. One way or another Asuka, I will win this duel; the method and means are incidental next to that."

"So you say, Apostle of Water, follower of Genbu the Black Turtle. Let's just see how flexible and adaptable your strategy really is first though. I end my turn."

"And so you shall; I play Water Hazard, allowing me to special summon a level four or lower water monster from my hand when I control no monsters. Therefore, I special summon Revival Jam, and then summon Mermaid Knight, and end my turn." One was a monster made of slime with a vaguely face shaped indentation, while the other was a mermaid armed with twin swords and wrapped in armor around the tail.

"You're trying to build up for something; why else would you bother bringing out monsters like that, that can't fight back and you don't need to defend yourself? But while you've seen what Heaven had to offer, you're about to see what Earth can bring to the duel; I now summon Kuriboh, and play Multiply, sacrificing him to bring out for Kuriboh tokens, and then I play Detonating!" The four tiny Kuriboh tokens rushed forward and crashed into Revival Jam, Mermaid Knight, Water Hazard, and Legendary Ocean; the last detonation was especially large, creating a flash of steam that would have boiled both duelists alive if it had been real, but as it stood all that happened was Asuka's hair getting swept in the wind.

"Impressive, Asuka. I'd heard of what you were capable of, but seeing you use that level one monster to devastate my field, far beyond what I was able to accomplish with the same number of cards,...it makes me wonder; wonder what you would have done in my place. Would you have been able to avoid the mistakes that I'd made?"

"Mistakes?" The wind had settled and the water was calm, as was Asuka's voice. "What are you talking about? You're not just talking about the outcome of a duel, are you? Your words have too much weight for it to be something like that." The Apostle of Water responded with a narrow look in his eyes.

"Are you so sure? We duelists are the last true warriors in the world; true, there are still wars being fought around the world as we speak, but these are impersonal conflicts of greed and consumption, void of meaning or ideology. The legacy of a duel is a heavy thing to carry, and failure here is as heavy now as it was in the time of the ancients. But you don't need to take my word for it; the battles that you went through last year on Duel Academia are famous in the Dueling World."

"Is that so? Well, then I shall let my duel speak for me; Cyber Angel Dakini, attack directly!" Dakini dashed swiftly and sure, striking without compromise. As twin swords descended upon the Apostle of Water, Asuka was suddenly filled with a sense of...a sense of sadness. She immediately shook it off, and for a moment she gazed at her opponent, but she could find no sign of the strange Light that lied within her friends in the Association of Light.

"Very good Asuka, but now I'll claim my turn, and play my spell card, Sacred Loss on the Ocean Floor." A sickly pale light began to glow in the water beneath the two duelists. "The water, the flow it embodies, it continues on, regardless of what happens around, upon, or in it. With this card, all water monsters in either players graveyard are removed from play, and each player draws one card for each monster removed from their grave." The monsters in the grave that were removed appeared behind their respective duelists, each one missing a vital piece of their body, before vanishing entirely. "Now, I summon Golden Flying Fish in attack mode, and set one card to end my turn." The scales of the fish shimmered in the clear light of the sun, reflecting that light even more brightly then the surface of the water. "If I still had Water Hazard, I could have summoned another monster and used Golden Flying Fish's effect to sacrifice that monster and destroy your Cyber Angel Dakini; another minor mistake on my part, but I will not allow it to stop me in any form, for I will seize victory this day."

"I'll admit, your determination is admirable, but I have as much need to win as you do, if not more." As Asuka said this, she reflected on the conversation between herself and Judai after Mokuba's speech but before they'd split up for the KC EVRC; though there wasn't a rational reason to think so, together they came to the conclusion that the mystery duelist that lay at the end of the challenge would hold the secret to what had happened to their friends, and what Takuma Saiou was truly playing at. And with this reason in her heart, Asuka had made her way past her previous opponents, and would do the same with this one. "I now summon Frost Tiger from my hand, and with both my monsters on the field I can defeat you. Frost Tiger, attack!" With a resounding roar the tiger leaped into the air, but as it was to pounce upon its target, the fish vanished in a bubble of water, and a familiar tempesting twisting tunnel of water appeared, dissipating the attack.

"My trap card, Deep Waters; by sacrificing an attack position water monster on the field, I can copy the effect of one trap card in my grave until the end of my turn, regardless of whatever conditions of the original trap were."

"Incredible." Still, despite everything that surrounded these events, Asuka wasn't incapable of appreciating the prowess of a skilled opponent. "I've never heard of a card like that. I'm finding it hard to believe that you really do have all these 'mistakes' haunting you, the way they seem to. I set one card and end my turn."

"It would look that way, but I've not always been as strong as this; there was a time when mere children starting out were more then a match for me. But even now, I've yet to overcome what I once was, and I can't afford to fail at this juncture; thus, I begin my turn by playing Potential Fish Calling. I pick up cards from my deck until I get a level four or lower fish monster, and special summon that monster to the field. And as it turns out, the top card of my deck fulfills the conditions perfectly; I now special summon the level four Unshaven Angler, and then I play the spell card Death of the Depths; when I have a fish monster on the field and in the grave, I can draw two cards. Next, I play Terraforming to add another Legendary Ocean to my hand, and play it again. Thus, I sacrifice my Unshaven Angler to summon Levia Dragon Daedalus." As the ocean rose once more, the skin of the angler fish cracked, and a giant vicious serpent emerged, it's head lined with thick plates and jaws lined with sharp teeth. "But I'm not finished yet; I sacrifice my Daedalus to special summon from my hand Ocean Dragon Lord Neo-Daedalus!" The monster mutated and grew, gaining a second head and a body that almost covered the ocean floor.

"Impressive work, but don't think that you're monster will appear unopposed; I activate A Rival Appears and special summon a monster from my hand of the same level as the one you just summoned; Come forth, Ice Queen!" The royal spellcaster of the ice stood in the ocean, her presence freezing the water around her into a perfect crystal. "And since I special summoned her, I can activate my other trap card, Cruel Frost, and destroy your Neo-Daedalus!" Ice Queen created a mote of ice and shot it off towards Neo-Daedalus, but before it made it a bubble of water enveloped it and dragged it down below the deep.

"My quick spell card from my hand, Bubble of Preservation; when a water monster would be destroyed by an effect, I can negate and destroy that card. And now that Neo-Daedaluls is safe, I can activate his effect; by sending Legendary Ocean to the grave, I can destroy all other cards on the field and in our hands!" The ocean waters became enraged, roiling and twisting about themselves at the bidding of the supreme lord of all waters. Despite her efforts, Asuka could not hold onto her hand against that force. "Now, all your options have been cut off absolutely. How will you handle this situation Asuka? Can you possibly believe that you will be able to adapt to this flow as well? This flow where you've already lost?"

"You've gained the upper hand, I'll grant you that, but you haven't yet won. Go ahead and make your attack, I can take it!"

"Humph, very well; I was trying to make things easiest for everyone, but if you want to drag things out, then we shall continue this duel to the bitter end. Neo-Daedalus, attack!" The sea serpent bit down on Asuka with both heads, dropping her life points from 4800 all the way to 1900. For a moment Asuka thought she might fall to her knees from the sheer shock of the immense attack, but she refused.

"My turn!" She looked at the one remaining card in her hand. "I set this card, and end my turn."

"Is that all? Well, you tried your best, but when you see that this was not enough, you will gain the understanding that comes from the Light." Upon hearing those words, Asuka focused her gaze, but still she couldn't see anything yet; was it just a coincidence? No, something was missing. "Now, I summon Abyssal Kingshark. Neo-Daedalus, finish Asuka and attack directly!" The great serpent reared back for its final attack, and just as it was about to strike...

"I activate my trap card, Call of a Friend, to add one monster from my grave to my hand, and then I discard that monster, Kuriboh, to reduce the battle damage from this monsters attack to zero!" Both heads were mere centimeters from Asuka when Kuriboh appeared, blocking the attack. As it did, a brief veil of darkness appeared, and through that darkness, Asuka could see it; the Light that dwelled within the members of the Association of Light, dwelled too within the Apostle of Water. "So, how are you connected to the Association of Light? What's really going on, here and back at Duel Academia? Do you have any other compatriots here stacking the odds in your favor?" The Apostle of Water narrowed his eyes, then smiled.

"Well, this...is unanticipated. You are truly unpredictable, but only to a degree, Asuka Tenjouin. For you to obtain any answers, you must first defeat me; that is the way of a duelist. Abyssal Kingshark, attack directly!" The vicious skull faced shark bit into Asuka, but she bore the pain with no difficulty whatsoever.

"I was already planning to win, and the added motivation will only help me along; I play the spell card, Card of Sanctity, allowing us to both draw cards until we each have six cards in our hands. Now, I play the field spell card Sacred Shrines of Ise!" The shrines that stood behind Asuka grew in stature and prominence, becoming a match for the ocean. "Now, I discard Knight of Ice and Divine Wind to add Machine Angel Ritual and Cyber Angel Amaterasu to my hand. Next, I play that Machine Angel Ritual, sacrificing my Blizzard Dragon and my Cyber Angel Idaten to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Amaterasu!" The shining goddess of the sun arose from the shrine behind Asuka, standing as a beacon of light in a sea of deceit. "Now, Cyber Angel Amaterasu, attack Abyssal Kingshark and finish this!" The Goddess drew her arrow of light and shot it clean through the Abyssal Kingshark, but just as it was about to strike the Apostle of Water, a large drop of water consumed it.

"By discarding Drop of Blessing, I can reduce the battle damage of a single attack to zero."

"Well done indeed, Apostle of Water. I'll set one card and end my turn." Asuka looked down upon her face down Double Passe, knowing that worst came to worst, she would only draw, never lose.

"As impressive as our monsters are, there is another, a hidden king if you will, that transcends them both; therefore, I play Big Wave Little Wave and sacrifice my Neo-Daedalus to special summon Superancient Deepsea King Coelcalenth!" The giant fish had a primal, hardy build, it's scales more shells then anything, possessing 2800 attack points. As it splashed in the water, the scattered sunlight outlined the form of a third party who'd just arrived.

"Asuka..." Rei said, having been running non-stop this whole time, "It's a good thing I found you, your opponent is...!" She gasped in shock at the sight of the Apostle of Water. "Tarou? Tarou Araide? What is this...is this why you disappeared?" The Apostle turned and looked back at Rei with the same shock in turn.

"Rei? What are you doing here?! I...I thought I made sure that you wouldn't enter this world, that you wouldn't make the mistakes I did!" Asuka looked between the two duelists, trying to discern what the hell was going on.

"Rei, what are you talking about? How do you know this man?" Rei reluctantly tore her eyes away from Tarou, and turned to Asuka.

"This man is my cousin, the one that I was going to face after I graduated from Duel Academia. He disappeared before I was accepted, but he was always going off on his own." She then turned back to the true target of her anger. "I never thought that you went off to join a cult! Were all of our duels, were they just a meaningless distraction to you? What about our promise? I'm doing everything I can, no matter how hard, to fulfill my promise to you, and now it turns out it didn't mean a thing to you?!" Tarou was now seeming flustered.

"Rei, you don't understand, this is more complicated then I can explain right now. Since you've chosen this path you will have to learn the truth soon, but now is not the time!" He then turned back to Asuka. "I discard one card from my hand to activated Coelcalenth's effect and special summon four fish monsters from my deck." A swarm of fish swam by, depositing four members. "Now, the monsters summoned by this effect can't attack and have their effect negated, but in turn their presence means I can equip Coelcalenth with this card, Joining Water Shell." The four fish swam around Coelcalenth at incredible speed, creating a protective barrier around it. "For every other water monster on the field, Coelcalenth gains one thousand attack points, well more then enough to win this match in a single blow. Now, Coelcalenth, attack the Goddess!" As the fish swam, dividing the ocean in two, the Goddess began to shine even brighter then before, dimming Coelcalenth's scales.

"By removing a monster from my grave, Cyber Petit Angel, I can reduce your monster's attack to zero!"

In that moment, Tarou realized his mistake; he had been so shocked by the sudden arrival of his cousin that he'd forgotten the full capabilities of Cyber Angel Amaterasu. True, he could try to use Coelcalenth's effect and sacrifice a fish to negate and destroy Amaterasu, but Asuka would simply remove a spell or trap from play to keep Amaterasu on the field and remove another monster all over again. If he'd waited and set his traps, he would have won, Tarou knew this to be true.

But it was no coincidence that it had worked out this way; Asuka, through her determination, had held out long enough for Rei to arrive, thus altering the fate that Mizuchi had proclaimed. And yet...Tarou for a moment could see the path ahead, and knew that while it might seem useless, he had to fight as hard as he could. "I sacrifice my first fish to negate Amaterasu's effect and destroy it!"

"I remove Card of Sanctity from play to negate the destruction, and then remove Cyber Angel Idaten from play to once more reduce Coelcalenth's attack to zero."

"I sacrifice another fish to negate that effect and destroy your Amaterasu."

"I remove Divine Wind from play to negate that destruction as well, and then remove Cyber Angel Dakini to reduce your monster's attack to zero."

"I sacrifice a third fish for Coelcalenth's effect." Asuka's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? We both know this won't change anything! I remove Machine Angel Ritual from play to negate the destruction, and then I remove Ice Queen to reduce your monster's attack to zero."

"I am fighting as hard as I can, to prove a point, both to myself and to Rei. I now sacrifice my final fish to negate and destroy Cyber Angel Amaterasu!"

"This is asinine! I remove Call of a Friend from play, and then remove Kuriboh from play to reduce your monster's attack to zero, and since you have no more fish on the field, you can't try and negate it again; this duel is over!" Now listless and pale black, Coelcalenth rotted away in the presence of the brilliant light of Cyber Angel Amaterasu. As Asuka stood there, breathing hard in exhaustion, Tarou tossed his key to Asuka, giving her her fourth. He then turned to Rei.

"Take care Rei, and please, for your own sake, avoid my mistakes." He turned back to Asuka. "I know I said would answer your questions, but I'm afraid that you will have to wait until you enter the Light. Fortunately, that time will be imminant. Until then." Before eithe female duelist could react, Tarou tossed his remaining keys into the water, causing a portal to appear. He jumped into the portal, which dissapeared in the next moment, leaving Asuka and Rei alone to put together the answers they needed.


	20. Chapter 20

The Cruel Blessing of the Hallowed One

"Now what's going on over here?" Edo Phoenix peered across the corner of the hallway of the Royal Hall, and looked upon the two people at the other end; one of them was Momoe, and the other was a black haired woman he hadn't seen before, not even at the opening ceremony. For a moment he wondered if this woman might have been 'The Hallowed One', but that suspicion came to an end when he saw the woman take out her keys, and give them to Momoe! Edo kept quiet, and moved closer in an effort to hear what was being said between the two duelists.

"There, now I've fulfilled my end of the bargain Momoe Hamaguchi. And from what I've heard from the Apostle of Wind, your friend Junko will be joining you soon. Now you just have to proclaim the glory of the Association of Light at the appointed time, and everything will be complete." Edo found this even more confounding; did Saiou really send in hidden duelists to stack the odds in favor of his chosen duelists? But, that didn't make any sense, Saiou would never engage in such petty indiscretions to promote his club. In all the years that he'd known him, Edo knew that Saiou was a noble and high-minded man, often highly enthused in his visions of fate, but never would he stoop to such a level.

"Thank you, Apostle of Fire." Momoe bowed down before the woman, the 'Apostle of Fire'. "I'll do what I can to fulfill my role in the events to come. You may rest assured that I will not disappoint Saiou, nor his sister."

"Sister?" Edo was confused; Saiou had never mentioned any siblings or relatives to him in all the years that he'd known him; was this all just some elaborate ruse being put on for the benefit of anyone who was listening in, or did Momoe and this 'Apostle of Fire' know Saiou better then he did? Both were inconceivable to Edo, yet one of them had to be the case.

"Before you go, Apostle of Fire, may I ask something?" Momoe resumed, and the black haired woman stood still, though plainly uncomfortable with remaining any longer. "What are our plans regarding The Hallowed One? We can't allow that criminal walk in the darkness, hidden from the light for much longer."

"Don't worry about The Hallowed One, Momoe. Edo Phoenix will find her before long; there are none who can escape the justice of the Light, and if she had sense she would accept the natural development and let herself be caught; it would be so much easier if she were to do what came natural, but that is why she wanders the dark, raging against her fate, and why Edo must bring her to the Light." The woman then looked in Edo's direction, but he had retreated to a nearby alcove, and as such remained hidden. "Now then, I must depart, and continue my work. Goodbye, Momoe Hamaguchi." Two doorways of light appeared, and Edo observed Momoe entering the right door, while the Apostle of Fire seemed to disappear entirely in that light. Edo watched that spot for a time, trying to tease out the full meaning of what that woman had said about him and The Hallowed One; Edo had the sense that this woman, this...apostle, knew far more about it then she said. Could it be that this, this sister of Saiou's, that she was involved in this horrible event?

"Oh, hello there Edo. It's a pleasure meeting you here at this time." Edo turned in surprise to find that the woman from the opening cermony was standing before him. "Do you recall my name? It's Maria Croix."

"Ah, yes, of course." There was, after all, no reason to burden this charming woman with his burden; an innocent like her didn't deserve his troubles to make things easier for him. "I take it that you've acquitted yourself quite well in this, the Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge." The woman nodded.

"Oh yes, very much so. When I first showed up here, I found myself wandering an open wind swept field, and on the horizon of that field was a line of crosses, and I could hear this terrible wailing coming from them. I tried to rush to them, to help release them from their pain, but no matter how far I ran I could make no progress. I tried to summon my monsters to reach them, but they had no better luck then I did. I couldn't help them, but I couldn't very well leave them alone, so I stood there, trying to think of what I could do. And then it hit me; I had to change the rules of the game, so I used my trap card, Mask of Restrict, and sure enough the massive, senseless sacrifice of life all around me came to an end. The crosses disappeared, and my key dropped down from the sky. After that, I searched for my opponents and I beat them all, but now I have to decide whether or not to take the easy right-hand door, or the difficult left-hand door." She suddenly looked to her left, then to her right, then Maria Croix leaned in to whisper to Edo. "I heard a strange rumor from the last duelist I faced; according to him, the mystery duelist at the end? Supposedly, it's The Hallowed One."

"What!?" Edo yelled out, gripping the wall to his side. "You can't be serious! Unless...this whole thing, it's a way of weeding us all down to the one duelist who has both the power and the will to defeat her; it certainly sounds like the sort of thing that Kaiba would do. Well, it looks like everything's about to fall into place." He then turned to look Maria in the eye, and he saw the fear therein. "Don't worry, I will take care of the criminal myself; you've done far more then enough for the cause of justice. Rest on your laurels, and take the right-hand door. I'll be passing through the left-hand door, and fulfill my destiny. I have to, for everyone's sake, including yours." Maria smiled shyly in response.

"Oh, thank you Edo. I've been so worried about that foul murderer, that The Hallowed One might ambush and kill you. But looking in your eyes, I know that there truly is nothing to fear for your sake. I don't know when, but after this, the KC EVRC, I hope we'll get to meet again very soon." The two duelists shook hands, and then opened their respective doors, Edo passing through the left, and Maria the right, sporting a joyous grin on her face when she knew that Edo could no longer see her.

* * *

"And, confirmed." Mokuba said, drawing Seto's attention. "The final duelists have just passed through the doors, completing the first round of the KC EVRC." Seto Kaiba then brought up the information on his monitor.

"Let me see...Judai Yuuki, Asuka Tenjouin, Rei Saotome, and Edo Phoenix all chose the left door, while Shou Marufuji, Junko Makita, Jun Manjoume, and Maria Croix opted for the right hand door. How curious; from what I saw of them, I would have thought that the members of the Association of Light would be eager to attempt to convert my hidden duelist to their cause...but what concerns me more are these four duelists, these...Apostles. How did they get in, Mokuba?"

"None of our security has been able to figure that out; we know the times when they entered the Advanced Kaiba Land, since the system reacted to their decks, but none of the cameras were able to track them; not the regular, the infrared, or even the ultraviolet cameras. If they were using some manner of stealth technology to get past us, it would have to be so state of the art as to be from the future. That, or they bribed their way in." A tiny smirk appeared on Seto's face.

"As though we haven't already thoroughly educated our employees on what the consequences of accepting bribes are. In any event, make sure that they are followed after the KC EVRC is complete; whoever they are working for, and to what ends, we will find out. No matter how many attempt to dirty the name of dueling, they will not succeed." Mokuba could see the mood his brother was in, and recognized that for the time being there was nothing he could say or do for him.

Mokuba stepped out of the office and called Rebecca Hopkins; it was hard to support his brother, exhausting and draining, and sometimes he needed support too.

* * *

"Momoe? Momiji? Misawa? You mean, all three of them are in the Association of Light? But why, I don't get it, why would they join?" Judai looked confusedly at Rei and Asuka as the three of them walked through a hallway of mirrors.

"If Shou was telling the truth earlier," Rei said with a decided depression in her voice, "then those people, the Apostles, they had a power that allowed them to brainwash our friends, a power that allowed them to distort the truth and make them think that they've been lying to themselves and to us all along."

"And not just them," Asuka said, interjecting her piece into the conversation, "But Saiou too. Right when I won against Tarou, the Apostle of Water, for a moment I felt an energy lash out against me, almost in reprisal for daring to win. It was the same sensation that I felt in that dream I had after the first day of the new school year. I'm sure of it, Saiou was trying to convert us to his side right from the very beginning, but we resisted him, and so he went after all of our friends instead."

"But why? Why would someone like Saiou do something like that?" Judai said, still feeling as though he were floundering in a sea of confusion. "There's got to be more to this just increasing membership in a club."

It was at that moment that the three duelists made their way out of the hallway where Edo Phoenix was waiting for them. He was standing against a stand in the center of the room. "So, you're the ones who made it and chose to take on the hidden duelist. Or rather, The Hallowed One." Judai, Rei, and Asuka all stared at Edo in shock. "Yes, I know, it's unbelievable, but it's true; this whole challenge exists for the purpose of finding the one duelist who can stop this cowardly murderer and bring her to justice. As we will learn, that person will be me."

"Oh please, like The Hallowed One would really play along with something like this." Rei spoke confidently, authoritatively. "No one would be so dramatic as to do something that suicidally stupid as that. But we do know one thing; Saiou is scared of her, and refuses to let any of his pawns try to duel her, and I think its because she knows something about him and his goals, something he doesn't want anyone to know about." Judai, sensing the escalating hostilities, stepped in between them.

"Hey guys, why don't we wait until one of us actually reaches her first, and then we'll find out the truth?"

"Way ahead of you on that one Judai." Judai, Edo, and Rei all turned to Asuka, who stood in battle position, her duel disc armed. "We've all got rivalries one way or another, and I think now is as good a time as any to settle them. Let's duel!"


	21. Chapter 21

Delta Duel, Four-Way Battle to the Top

"All right Asuka," Judai said in response to Asuka's declaration, "I'll start things off by summoning Summon Priest in defense mode, and then I discard one spell card to activate his effect to special summon Elemental Hero Stratos from my deck to the field, and with his effect I add Elemental Hero Lady Heat to my hand, and then I set one card to end my turn."

"My turn!" Rei Saotome called out, claiming the next turn. "I summon Homonculus the Alchemic Being and change his attribute to dark, then I set one card and I end my turn."

"My turn!" Edo almost roared out, eager to win. "I set one monster, one card, and end my turn."

"You've each done pretty well," Asuka said, a confident grin on her face, "but let me show you all a reminder of how this is really done; I now summon Barrier Statue of the Torrent in defense mode." A squat statue of an amphibian armed with a trident was practically 'stamped' onto the field, a circle of runes orbiting above it. "So long as this monster is on the field, only water attribute monsters can be special summoned. I set one card to end my turn." She then turned to Judai. "I don't imagine that you'll be able to summon Elemental Hero Inferno," and then to Edo, "and you'll have a hard time special summoning the materials for your Monarchs, Edo."

The four duelists stood across from each other, each now represented by a monster of some sort or two, the Solid Vision images reflected in the Solid Vision mirrors that surrounded them. Even their own images were reflected in the mirrors, creating a powerful presence of each duelist surrounding the others. Judai was surrounded by images of Asuka, Asuka by Judai, Edo by Rei, and Rei by Edo.

"Wow, that's an incredible opening move Asuka, but don't get to used to it! I'm going to discard another spell card to activate Summon Priest's effect and bring out Elemental Hero Ocean, and then I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat from my hand. Lady Heat, attack Barrier Statue of the Torrent!" Lady Heat leaped up into the air and gathered fire in her hands, tossing it down at the Barrier Statue. Suddenly, a spike of ice extended out and pierced the fireball, dissipating it. Then it angled down to Judai, striking him in the chest.

"Thanks Judai." Asuka said with a pleased grin on her face. "By attacking my defense mode Water monster, you activated my trap card, Mirror of Defiant Ice; I equip it to Barrier Statue of the Torrent, rendering it immune to destruction by battle, and whenever its attacked the attacking player takes five hundred points of damage. It was a good try Judai, but only one of your Fusions will be getting onto the field in this duel." Judai returned Asuka's grin with one of his own.

"Damn, you got me Asuka. Well Edo, it looks like I'm going to attack you now; Elemental Hero Stratos, attack Edo's face down monster!" Stratos created twin columns of wind which tore through Edo's monster, a maiden who held between her hands a floating orb of water, drops falling from it as the maiden died.

"Unfortunately for you Judai," Edo said with a smirk of his own, "the moment Crystal Seer was flipped up, her effect was activated, allowing me to pick up the top two cards of my deck, sending one to the bottom while adding the other to my hand. Furthermore, by destroying my monster in battle, you've activated my trap card, Battlefield Control; when this card is activated I can draw a card every time a monster I control is destroyed by battle. Thanks for the help, Judai."

"Oh, don't be thanking me just yet Edo; my Lady Heat still gets to activate her effect, and it's going to be a doozy!" Lady Heat then leaped into the air and begun to spin at an incredible speed, creating an effect not unlike a water sprinkler, except with fire raining down on Edo, Asuka, and Rei for 600 damage each.

"Well, that's one way to get a hit in, but it won't save you from my turn." Rei then coughed, raising her voice.

"Don't think it'll be that easy Edo, since I'm going before you!" Rei called out as she drew her card. "And I'm sorry to say, but you won't be getting your turn any time soon. See, I switch my Homonculus to Water, and then activate my Resonance Calling card to special summon the Water Attribute Resonance Flora from my deck in defense mode." Homonculus stuck his arm out, wrapping it around a waterfall that appeared out of nowhere, and descending down that flow of water was a woman wrapped in roses and vines, lush with life. "And now I play the field spell card Fusion Gate, and remove from play Resonance Flora on my field and Resonance Guide and Maiden from my hand to fusion summon Resonance Lady of Three-in-One!" The Resonance Lady of Three-in-One appeared on the field, flowing into being as though made of quicksilver from the mirrors around them. "And before you ask Asuka, my monster counts as each of the attributes that went into her fusion, and since Resonance Flora was Water, this means my Lady gets past your Barrier Statue's restriction."

"So it would seem," Asuka said as she looked upon Resonance Lady of Three-in-One with pride. "I've never actually seen you duel before Rei, but looking at you now I can definitely see how you were able to make it into Duel Academia three years early. But even that monster can't defeat my barrier."

"Not right away, but don't be so quick to dismiss this badass lady Asuka; Resonance Flora's water gives her the effect that when she destroys a monster by battle I get back life points equal to the destroyed monster's defense points, Resonance Maiden's wind gives her the power to penetrate the defense of an opposing monster, and Resonance Guide's light means that when she deals battle damage I can draw one card. And I'm not done yet; see, now I'm going to equip my water attribute Homonculus with Flowing Reach, raising his attack by five hundred points and whenever he does battledamage I can return one card that that player controls to their hand. I'll start off big, and have my Resonance Lady attack you directly Edo!"

"Heh, that only shows the foolishness of youth." Battlefield Control began to glow, and Resonance Lady held the same glowing aura. "While I control no monsters on the field, once per turn I can force the opponent to have their strongest monster attack another valid target of their choice. So, who will it be Rei? The choice is pretty obvious, I should think."

"I choose..." Rei knew that Edo was right; if she couldn't attack Edo with Resonance Lady of Three-in-One, then the next choice would be to go after Judai's Summon Priest. But... "Resonance Lady, attack Asuka's Barrier Statue of the Torrent!" Rei cursed herself for her weakness as both she and Asuka took damage from the attack. Still, the card she drew was most comforting compensation. "All right Edo, now let's see you block this one; Homonculus, attack Edo directly and return that stupid Battlefield Control to his hand!" Homonculus struck with the force of a hydraulic pump, and a similar such geyser returned Battlefield Control to Edo's hand. "Now I summon Resonance Reaper in defense mode and end my turn."

"How unfortunate for you Rei, that you couldn't defeat me on this turn. As Asuka has duly noted, you're quite good, but the fact that you avoided attacking Judai, even though you could have devastated his field, shows that what you're lacking is not skill, but drive." Then Edo turned to Judai. "Tell me, when your turn to attack came, did you hesitate to attack Asuka? Was there any doubt in your mind that she was the most dangerous threat on your turn?"

"Huh?" Judai was taken aback at the sudden and odd question, but he recovered quickly. "Well, no I didn't hesitate at all. I mean, her Barrier Statue was like a beacon calling out to me, demanding my response; how could I do anything but to attack her monster?" Edo smiled in triumph as he turned back to Rei.

"You see? Judai is mature enough to understand how to reach the one he loves, but you are still only a child, and this is no place for children! I now discard one card to activate my spell card Lightning Vortex, and destroy all monsters on the field other then my own!" A storm of plasma gathered overhead of the duelists, roiling about itself as it gathered incomparable power to destroy everything. As both Judai and Asuka watched that lighting grow ever closer, more imminent, Rei Saotome acted.

"I now activate my Resonance Combo; first, I activate my permanent trap card Elemental Switch, changing all Water Attribute monsters on the field to Dark Attribute monsters, allowing me to activate the effect of Resonance Reaper, sacrificing her to prevent the destruction of all Dark Monsters on the field for this turn!" Resonance Reaper raised her scythe and twisted it about herself, removing her own heart and releasing the darkness contained within it to conjure a barrier to protect Homonculus, Resonance Lady, Elemental Hero Ocean, and Barrier Statue of the Torrent. Summon Priest, Elemental Hero Stratos, and Elemental Hero Lady Heat were obliterated in the vortex of lightning that descended upon them.

"And once again, your resonance combo was impressive, more then you realize; you see, I'd discarded Devoted Faithful one under the expectation that Barrier Statue of the Torrent would be gone, but since it still remains I won't be getting my tokens onto the field. Thankfully, they would have just been a plus; I activate Monster Reborn to special summon Crystal Seer from the grave, and then I sacrifice Crystal Seer to summon to the field Caius the Shadow Monarch!" The King of Shadows took the Crystal Seer to one side and banished her, earning purchase into existence. Then he raised his arms, and raised a Black Hole just above Resonance Lady. "Unfortunately, you could not have anticipated that in turning your monsters Dark, you have opened the path to your own defeat." Resonance Lady was consumed by the black hole, removed from play as Rei took 1000 points of damage. "And to ensure that I finish you off, I activate my permanent spell card, Royal March; once per turn, I can activate the effect of a Monarch on the field by discarding a card from my hand." Once more the black hole appeared, claiming the now Dark Attribute Homonculus, bringing Rei Saotome down to 1400 life points. "Maybe next time Rei, after you've grown up and become a real duelist, instead of a child chasing after a crush; Caius, Royal Dark Strike!" Caius struck the mirrors behind Rei, shattering their virtual reflections, and the mirrors behind Edo no longer showed her image, only Edo's facing out and full of confidence, assurance, the knowing that justice would soon be at hand. "Now I set one card, and end my turn."

As Rei collapsed in shock, Judai ran over to grab her, to help her back up. And while Rei did enjoy the concern that Judai showed...

"I'm sorry Judai, I wasted my turn; I mean, Edo had the right of it, I should have gone after you, but I..."

"Hey, don't feel too bad." Rei and Judai turned to find that Asuka had just drawn her card. "Building up experience like this is the best way to learn. Trust me Rei, next time you'll get your chance to show Judai what you're really capable of." Asuka said this with a wink, causing Rei to be confused. When she looked back at Judai and saw him nodding in assent, she became even more confused.

"Yeah, we're duelists you know; we connect best by facing each other in battle like this, you know that."

"Yeah," Rei said, remembering her duel with Elaine Brown. "You're right, I don't know what I was thinking Judai. Sorry I was acting that way." Rei said, sticking her tongue out a little for emphasis, then got herself back on her feet and directed Judai to return to his space.

"While that was very touching and all, I'd like to resume the duel; I have a very important battle lying ahead and I can't afford to delay any longer then I already have." Edo said, facing Asuka.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're not going to get your chance; I now activate the final effect of Mirror of Defiant Ice and send it and Barrier Statue to the grave and draw two cards." The statue melted into a tepid puddle, and evaporated away. "And next I summon Cyber Petit Angel to add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand, and then I play it, sending Knight of Ice and Cyber Petit Angel to the grave to Ritual summon Cyber Angel Benten to the field, and then I equip her with Ritual Weapon, raising her attack power to thirty-three hundred. Now, Benten, attack Caius!" The goddess took her chain and spun it over her head, building up incredible force. Then, as she swung it down upon Caius, she fired the arrow from the cross-bow armband, the ritual weapon itself, and these two forces combined into one devastating attack, slaying the king of shadows.

"Very good Asuka, but that still leaves me with two hundred life points, and by destroying Caius you've activated Battlefield Control once again, allowing me to draw another card...?" Cyber Angel Benten had strided across the field, and now stood towering over Edo, imposing.

"It seems that you've forgotten Benten's effect; when she destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to that monster's defense power." Benten raised her fan, and swept it down, blowing Edo away with a divine wind dealing 1000 points of damage, finishing him off. His image faded from the mirrors, and he slammed his fist to the ground.

"Damn it! Judai, Asuka, you two better be right, The Hallowed One better not lie beyond that door, or else you will have no idea the consequences you've brought down upon yourself; I will see justice prevail, one way or another!" Edo slammed his fist against the mirror to punctuate his point, then began to breathe in and out, calming himself down. "Just...don't disappoint me, either of you."

"Oh, don't worry about that Edo, I'm far from done here; see, when I destroy a monster by battle with a Cyber Angel, I can activate the quick spell card Divine Angel Strike, and by sending an equal level or higher Cyber Angel from my deck to the grave, that Cyber Angel can attack again; I send Cyber Angel Otohime to the grave, and have Cyber Angel Benten attack your Elemental Hero Ocean, Judai!"

"I'm ready for you Asuka; I activate my trap card Hero Barrier to negate the attack!" But just as the shield of justice appeared, it was wrapped in a frigid coat of ice, and sealed.

"Well now, doesn't this seem familiar, Judai?" Asuka said, having just activated Instant Freeze.

"It sure does Asuka, especially this part; by chaining Instant Freeze to Hero Barrier, I can special summon Winged Kuriboh Level Nine from my hand, and with two spell cards in Rei's grave, three in Edo's grave, and now with three of your spell cards in the grave, that gives my Winged Kuriboh Level Nine four thousand attack points!" The winged kuriboh clad in red armor chirped eagerly as it flew onto the field, ready for battle most definitely.

"Well Judai, this is familiar. But while your Winged Kuriboh can attack next turn, your Elemental Hero Ocean is still going to fall." With a swiftness that was truly of the gods, Benten attacked, and between the battle damage and her effect Judai was now down to 500 life points. "Now, I'll set one card, and end my turn. Come on Judai, show me what you're capable of."

"You got it Asuka! I'm going to summon Elemental Hero Heat from my hand, and then I'll have Winged Kuriboh Level Nine attack Cyber Angel Benten!" The little armored furball spun through the air, performing a corkscrew as it drilled through Cyber Angel Benten. But the as Asuka's life points dropped to 700, the goddess's spirit arose high into the air, and began to change.

"By destroying my Cyber Angel, you've activated my trap, Coming of the Angel, allowing me to special summon a Cyber Angel of equal level from my deck and end the battle phase. I special summon Cyber Angel Benten back to my hand, and I use her effect to add Machine Angel Ritual from my grave back to my hand."

"That's just like you Asuka, always a new move or three to keep me on my toes. I'll set one card, and end my turn."

"Yep, and by comparison you're mister reliable, relying on well worn tactics to win the day. Let's see how well they'll serve you in this battle. I activate my spell card Divine Draw, and send my other Machine Angel Ritual cards to the grave, or rather removed from play thanks to the effect of your Winged Kuriboh Level Nine, and draw three cards. Next, I summon Kuriboh, and play Multiplay to sacrifice it and special summon four kuriboh tokens. Now, I'll play that Machine Angel Ritual and sacrifice my Cyber Angel Idaten along with two Kuriboh tokens to Ritual summon Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume!" The sleek and lightly dressed goddess descended upon the field, twirling her daggers in her hand. "And now Cyber Angel Ama-no-Uzume will attack your Winged Kuriboh Level nine, and with her effect your monster loses both its effect and thus its life points."

"I activate Residual Reflection, removing Stratos and Lady Heat in my grave from play to reduce the battle damage to zero!" The memories of the fallen warriors protected Judai, keeping him alive for another turn.

"Good going Judai, but if you can't strike back on your next turn, I'm going to win this here and now, and find out what's really going on around here."

"Heh, like you said, I'll have to win on this turn, and I've got a good feeling I will! I play Gift of the Weak, removing Winged Kuriboh in my hand from play to draw two cards, and then I play Legacy of a Hero, removing Elemental Hero Knopse in my hand from play to draw three cards; now, O-Overcalling to bring back Elemental Hero Ocean. And now that he's on the field, I can activate Rei's Fusion Gate field spell card, and fuse Woodsman in my hand with Ocean on the field to summon Elemental Hero Earth! And now, while I wouldn't be able to beat your Ama-no-Uzume, I won't have to when I play H-Heated Heart, allowing Elemental Hero Earth to penetrate the defense of your Kuriboh token. So I sacrifice Elemental Hero Heat, and attack Kuriboh token for the win!" The hero of the earth struck swiftly and certain, the fire of his soul washing over Asuka, reducing her life points to zero. Yet she still smiled.

"Great going Judai; I was worried for a moment that you'd forget that Ama-no-Uzume doesn't need to attack to activate her effect and sacrifice the Earth to no effect."

"Hey, I'm not the dumb kid you met last year Asuka; I've learned from my mistakes."

"So you have," Asuka said as she walked up to Judai, her image fading from the mirrors as Judai's claimed them all, marking him as the victor, the only one to be seen by the hidden duelist. Asuka raised her hand to clasp Judai's, and suddenly she stopped.

"Asuka?" Judai saw her suddenly grip her head with both hands, as though she were trying to keep it from flying off or bursting or something like that. "Asuka, what's wrong? Asuka!" So panicked was Judai, that he was unable to see the faint wisps of light that gathered around her and attempted to flow into her.

* * *

"How can you be satisfied with a duel like that?" The voice said, identical to Asuka's own, but she knew that it was the same presence that tried in vain to take her after the duel with Tarou Araide, the Apostle of Water. "Don't you see how he has insulted you? While you continue to grow and evolve, he keeps relying on the same old strategies, the same old powers. How far can you truly expect to get with such an albatross around your neck?"

"What, am I supposed to be humiliated, shocked, in anger over losing a duel? Even though this was an important duel, there is no shame to losing to the better duelist, it's simply the way of things. Face it, whoever you really are, you can give up now; I am not going to let myself be brainwashed into becoming your docile doll!" The voice laughed, echoing in an unnatural in the empty white void in which Asuka stood.

"Really? I don't recall such behavior in your last duel. No, you were determined to achieve victory, you were clawing away at your opponent to achieve victory. And why shouldn't you, when your opponent insists on denying you what you've already earned, insists on prolonging the inevitable. Asuka, you are beyond all other duelists here; you are beyond the common duelists on the street, you are beyond your peers at Duel Academia, you are beyond even pros like Edo Phoenix, you are beyond your friends who've acquired great powers in the darkness, and even beyond Judai, who yet dreams of stealing what is yours to complete his power."

"And what?" Asuka said with a low laugh. "Is he going to drop me after earning Kuriboh from me? Please."

"Oh no, nothing so merciful; he will keep you, he will praise you, he will assure you with words time and again that you are the best, but his actions will belie the lie of his intent. You will become complacent, as he has become; after all, even after the duel with Edo, where he was horribly crushed, did he become motivated to improve himself, to become more then what he was?"

"He..." Asuka paused, uncertain; the voice, her voice, it had a point. Shouldn't Judai have redoubled his efforts, his study and his practice after that duel? But no, in the time that had passed since then, Judai had remained as easy going as ever, taking each day as it came. He...Asuka shook her head, and responded. "No, he's been handling himself in an entirely appropriate manner; he's strong enough to handle whatever comes his way, and I know that worrying needlessly is pointless. We've helped each other grow stronger and I will not have you judging us!"

"But I'm not the one judging him, you are." The light grew brighter, and Asuka felt a sudden flood of unfamiliar memories, the little moments in which she felt frustration, irritation with Judai, moments in which she felt, however briefly, more like a mother watching over a lazy child then a companion and equal. "You know full well what you bring to him, but what does he bring to you? Nothing. He drains and takes and steals, leaving nothing behind. True, there is some comfort, but surely it is not worth the demeaning degradation that comes of slowly but certainly dragging yourself down to his level? Surely you realize that there are those who can offer this comfort, this solace that you deserve in your journey to demonstrate your virtue as the greatest duelist of your generation?"

"You...you mean the Association of Light, don't you?" Asuka knew that by all appearances the members of the Association of Light were always together, always there for each other, always knew what to do and say for each other, all while ardently pursuing their own goals. And yet, that light that shined in their eyes... "The people there, they're not themselves, Saiou's done something to change them. I can see it, even if I don't know what it is, the light in their eyes gives them away."

"What you see," the voice said with all confidence duly deserved, "is the strength of their souls. Surely you recall your encounter with Yuugi Mutou, the Duel King himself, the previous year. You no doubt recall the light in his eyes; was it not the same as the Light that now fills the Association of Light?" Asuka took that brief trip through her own memories, and recalled when Yuugi had seen, somehow, that she had Kuriboh, and indeed, that same light was there then, she was certain of it.

All at once, Asuka felt her desire to resist dissipate. "Very well, I'll join you. If Judai is too childish, too complacent with his hand-me-down deck to join me, then I will know that I should have stepped away from him all the sooner. Thank you for helping me see the Light." Asuka then opened her eyes and saw Judai looking upon her with concern. She sighed internally; was baby afraid he wasn't going to get his bottle?

"Asuka, what happened? It almost looked as though you...!" Judai saw the undeniable glow of light in her eyes, far brighter then the light that dwelled in Manjoume's, Junko's, or even Shou's. It washed out the golden brown of her eyes, nearly replaced by pure white.

"It almost looked like what Judai? Like I might continue to delude myself? Don't worry, you'll be facing a devastating opponent the likes of which you've never faced, and you will learn what comes of your stagnation. Ah, and here she comes now."

Judai, Asuka, Rei, and Edo turned to see the arrival of the hidden duelist, a black haired woman wearing a modern redesign of a traditional Miko outfit of the feudal era.

"Hello Judai; I knew that either you or Asuka would be the one to face me. Before we begin, I would like to introduce myself. I am Mizuchi Saiou, and I will be your final opponent in this challenge that Seto Kaiba was gracious enough to set up for us." Judai, Rei, and Edo all looked upon her in shock, while Asuka smiled, satisfied that things would be going as they were always meant to.


	22. Chapter 22

Judai vs. Mizuchi, Confrontation in the Twilight

"You're Mizuchi?" Edo said, sceptical. "Takuma's sister? Unfortunately for your little story, I know Takuma personally. He is my dear friend, and I his, so if he did have a sister I would have known about you. But I didn't. What are you playing at, 'Mizuchi'?" The more Edo had thought about it, the more he'd realized that he'd missed the third option, that it wasn't for him that this woman had put out this lie, nor had Takuma hidden her from him, but her followers, those 'Apostles' of hers, those were the ones being fooled. Now, Edo thought to himself, this woman would be forced to reveal herself in this hall of mirrors, reveal herself many times over.

"It is unfortunate that Takuma and I have had to conceal myself from you Edo, but it was necessary; it was fated." Mizuchi then tapped a nearby mirror, which began to shimmer and waver like a pool of water, and as it began to settle, an image appeared in it, the image of a young Edo and a young Takuma standing in an opulent room. Edo looked to be about ten, while Takuma appeared to be in his mid teens.

"Mom and Dad say you're a fortune teller." The young Edo said in an eager fashion. "Does that mean that you know what I'm going to ask you?" The teenage Takuma laughed softly as he responded.

"No, nothing so precise. Here, let me show you how I make use of my powers. First, I need you to hold your hand over this deck, and think about what matters to you most." The teenage Takuma shuffled the cards, and arranged five of them in a diamond pattern. "Now, I turn over the first two, and they are The Empress and The Emperor; a sure sign of your love, affection, and devotion to your parents and the qualities that they embody. Now, I flip over the middle card, and we see that it is Justice, which in addition to its literal meaning also refers to balance. And now we see the final two cards, representing the future before you..." The teenage Takuma paused, then quickly covered the cards up, but while the young Edo was too caught up to notice, the present Edo saw the two cards in question; The Tower, and The Devil.

"What was the meaning of that Mizuchi?" Edo barked out as the image in the mirror vanished. "Do you expect me to believe that Takuma...that he knew what was coming but he didn't tell me?"

"I'm sorry Edo, but you know how gentle my brother is, and you yourself have experienced how dear your friendship with him is. He truly wished to try as much as possible to spare you from the pain you experienced, and his inability to do so despite his foreknowledge has weighed heavily upon his heart."

"Well," Asuka said just after clearing her throat, "As interesting as that little revelation, I believe that this is distracting us from the true purpose of this gathering." She then walked over to Edo and grabbed his shoulder. "Come on Edo, why don't you rest and recover for a bit while Judai over there," She said quite pointedly, "sees if he can measure up to this one last challenge without me holding his hand for him." She guided Edo off to the side, and gave Judai a scathing look, one he was not equipped to respond to. Then he felt Rei grabbing his arm, and she gave him a determined look of her own, one equal in measure to Asuka's disparaging look.

"Judai, whatever's going on here, you've got to keep your head in the game. That Mizuchi woman, she's definitely dangerous; you heard the way she talked about how 'gentle' her brother is, that definitely means that she isn't." Judai took another look at Mizuchi, and this time he noticed the way the shadows seemed to pool a little deeper, linger a little darker, cling a little tighter, all more than they should have. Judai breathed in deep the cool air of the virtual room, and focused.

"Mizuchi, if I win this duel, then you have to undo what you and your Apostles have done to my friends, and you have to tell me what it is that your brother, what Takuma is trying to accomplish with all this."

"That is of course an eminently fair wager Judai, but only when balanced against an equal potential loss; therefore, if you lose, then both you and your friend Rei, cousin to my Apostle of Water, shall walk into the Light with open arms. Do you consent to this, Judai Yuki?" Judai looked at Rei, at Edo, and at Asuka. Then back to Mizuchi.

"I agree. Let's duel!" As Judai armed his duel disc once more, Mizuchi reached into a nearby mirror and retrieved hers. She took only a moment to go over her hand before making her move.

"I will begin by setting one monster, and end my turn. Now, just as you and Asuka are hidden from mine and my brother's sight of fate, so too is the power that I wield against you. Let us see if you can evade the real trap before you."

As Judai drew his card, he tried to recall the last time he was in a duel like this; just moments ago, even as things became strange all around him, he made sure to enjoy the duel, to honour the legacy of Koyou Hibiki. True, when he was duelling that Saito Masashi, he'd forgotten that, but afterwards Judai had realized how petty it all was. But now... "I play Fusion, sending Elemental Hero Voltic and King of the Swamp to the grave to summon Elemental Hero Lighting, and then I play Fusion Pass, sending the top five cards from my deck to the grave and fusion summoning based on what fusion materials are sent to the grave." Judai watched the cards closely; E-Emergency Call, Elemental Hero Knopse, H-Heated Heart, Rose Bud, and Elemental Hero Poison Rose. "And since Knopse and Poison Rose were sent to the grave, I'll fusion summon Elemental Hero Orchid!"

Rei watched the two powerful monsters that Judai had summoned in such haste flashed onto the field, and she earnestly hoped that Judai's power would be enough; the cold, dismissive look in Asuka's eyes, eyes almost entirely lacking in colour now, that look was something that Rei wanted gone as soon as possible.

"Now, I'll have Elemental Hero Lightning attack your face down monster!" The female hero channelled a white hot bolt of plasma down upon the face-down monster, forcing it to reveal itself; a leering grinning face, hidden within the shadows of a deep jar. As it died, Mizuchi spoke.

"And now I can activate the Flip Effect of Morphing Jar, forcing us to discard our hands, and then draw five new cards. And when Silva the Warlord of Dark World is discarded I can special summon him to the field." A demon in silver and wielding a large knife arose from the shadows. But that wasn't all; another card appeared as well, but on Judai's side of the field. "Furthermore, when Enemy's Undoing is discarded from the hand to the grave, it becomes activated on the opponent's side of the field under their control; during your end phase, you must send the top card of your deck to the grave, and then randomly choose one card in my hand to be discarded."

Judai's path was blocked; Silva and Orchid were of equal strength, but with his new hand, he would soon be able to respond.

"I set two cards, and end my turn." As he did, Elemental Hero Ice Edge was sent to its demise, and at random he chose the card on the far left of Mizuchi's hand.

"The card that you have discarded by your effect, was Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and when he is discarded by the opponent's effect, I can special summon him to the field, and destroy two monsters you control." The demon clad in gold held his battleaxe above his head and swung it wide, a coruscating wave of darkness racing towards Judai's monsters.

"I activate my face-down De-Fusion, returning Orchid to the deck to bring Knopse and Poison Rose in defence mode. Furthermore, when Elemental Hero Lightning is destroyed, I can draw one card. Pretty good Mizuchi, but not good enough. Though I have to say, your deck is pretty neat; I've never heard of a discard deck before." Judai said, finding that it wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be to keep his spirit in this duel; somehow, it seemed as though Mizuchi was as much as possible trying to take the darkness that surrounded her, and bind it to herself, releasing her own light for everyone else. Judai wasn't sure what to think of that, so he waited, and watched Mizuchi take her turn.

"I will summon Bronn the Mad King of Dark World, and I shall have Silva attack Poison Rose."

"I activate Hero Barrier to negate that attack!" While the barrier held Silva at bay, it could not do the same against Goldd and Bronn, who were swift in their slaying of Judai's heroes.

"Now I will set one card to end my turn. But tell me Judai; suppose you do win, and break the fate that I have foreseen. What then? What makes you think that if your friends are returned to their previous state, that they won't immediately wish to return to that very state of being?"

"Wha...huh? You can't really mean that my friends would want to..." Judai's voice tapered off as he recalled his friend Shou Marufuji; Judai recalled how Shou was the first member to join the Association of Light, and...There was no sign, none at all that he hadn't done so voluntarily. This doubt began to wrap itself around Judai's soul, but he felt a familiar presence; his partner, Winged Kuriboh. As Judai looked to his partner, he could see that the spirit of Kuriboh was now wandering aimlessly, and he knew now that he could not waver. "No, you might be able to fool my eyes, but not my spirit, and it tells me that no one could ever want what you and your brother are trying to accomplish. So I play Fifth Hope, returning Elemental Heroes Lightning, Voltic, Knopse, Poison Rose, and Ice Edge to my deck and drawing two cards. Next I'll summon Elemental Hero Woodsman mode, and then I play Hero's Bond to special summon Ice Edge from my hand in defence mode. And now that I have two Elemental Heroes on the field, I'll play R-Righteous Justice, to destroy Enemy's Undoing and your face down card." Twisting branches of frozen wood manifested in between the heroes, but before they could destroy either card, a demonic figure appeared before the massed energy, and reshaped it to his purpose.

"My trap card, Dark Deal; by paying one thousand life points, I change the effect of your card, to cause the opponent to randomly discard one card from their hand." The frozen branches then snapped out, and struck one of the cards in Mizuchi's hand. "And the card that was discarded was Broww the Huntsman of Dark World, and when discarded by an effect the opponent controls it allows me to draw two cards."

"Heh, I guess I just played right into your hands...you know, this would be a lot more fun, if so much weren't at stake, don't you think, Mizuchi?"

"Fun?" Mizuchi smiled in a melancholy manner. "Even now, you continue to hold that child-like hope in your heart. Unfortunately, even as a child my heart was not as one; an awareness of what is to come, however hazy and hidden, available in every glance in any mirror around, forces one to grow with that awareness, or be consumed by it. Tell me Judai; have you ever been reckless with your friends?" Judai recalled a duel he had arranged between Hayako and Misa, and how poorly that had gone. "Would you ever hesitate to shield them from the woes of the world?" Judai remembered how he tried to get Midori Hibiki to escape, rather than finish her duel against Daitokuji. "You then understand a fragment of what it is that burdens me and my Brother. But only a fragment; if you should falter in your continuing defiance of fate, you will gain a full understanding, and know what it is you must do."

"So you say Mizuchi, but you know something Mizuchi?" Judai said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Despite all that, all those things you said? I still don't like the idea of knowing what's going to happen before it does; whether in life or Duel Monsters, isn't it much more fun when you don't know what's coming, and can be surprised? So, I'll set one card to end my turn and see what happens next." Judai watched as his O-Overcall was sent to the grave by 'his' card, and as Mizuchi's card was discarded, a sphere of darkness appeared alongside the rest of her monsters.

"The card that you've discarded from my hand is Reign-Beaux the Overlord of Dark World; his effect allows him to be special summoned when discarded by the opponent's effect, and I can choose to either destroy all your spells and traps, or all of your monsters. I of course, choose the latter." A demonic form which seemed to leech all color from its surroundings for its own use appeared from the darkness, and with its spear it sundered the existence of Elemental Hero Woodsman. But, Elemental Hero Ice Edge remained, thanks to his effect. "And now I will equip Reign-Beaux with Berserker Crash, raising his attack power by four hundred, and allowing him to penetrate the defence of your monster." Reign-Beaux drove his spear through Ice Edge, inflicting 2100 points of damage to Judai.

Judai reeled from the blow, Reign-Beaux's attack carrying more force than the mere strength of the monster itself; he could feel the presence of something, some power trying to...to open his mind's eye. But Judai knew that so long as he had even one life point left he couldn't give up.

"My turn! I'm going to sacrifice Ice Edge to summon Elemental Hero Obsidian in attack mode, and then I set one card to end my turn." As Judai did this, Elemental Hero Stratos was sent to the grave, and another card was sent from Mizuchi's hand to the grave.

"By sending Manticore of Darkness to the grave, I am allowed to send another Manticore from my hand to the grave, to bring back to first one onto the field." As the Manticore of Darkness roared, Judai couldn't believe how easily Mizuchi had been able to fill her entire field with so many powerful monsters. But at the same time, Judai knew that when his heroes came together, nothing could defeat them. "I will set one card, and end my turn. Judai, we now stand upon the fulcrum of fate, and the decision that you make, will determine everything. If you would have me believe that the fate that I and my brother have foreseen can be overcome, win."

"All right Mizuchi, I'll do my best! I'm going to activate my trap card, Soul Union, giving Elemental Hero Obsidian an eighteen hundred attack point boost from Elemental Hero Stratos, and I follow that up by playing HERO Flash! With Heated Heart, Emergency Call, Righteous Justice, and Overcall in the grave, I can give Elemental Hero Obsidian the ability to attack all of your monsters at once, doing thirty-four hundred points of damage and winning the game!" As Elemental Hero Obsidian prepared her stance to strike down all of Mizuchi's demons, a strange blackness began to envelop them.

"Upon your declaration to attack, I activated trap card, Black Shield of the Light." That pitch darkness that enveloped Mizuchi's monsters collapsed in on itself, leaving behind a greater brightness. "I sacrifice all my demons and recover one hundred life points for each level of each monster, and for every eight levels sacrificed, I can draw one card." Though Obsidian still struck at light speed, the force was diminished without many foes to face, and with the 2800 life points that Mizuchi had recovered, she was able to endure the 3800 points of damage dealt, leaving her with 2000 life points. And at that very moment, a strange new shadow appeared on the field before Mizuchi.

"Whoa, what is that?" Judai stood somewhere between awe and fear, though not even he knew where just where that was.

"The Messenger of Hades, Gorz; special summoned to the field when I take damage while I control no cards, and when that damage is battle damage, I can special summon a Kaien token, with an attack power and defence power equal to the damage I just took." A red headed demon and a dark haired angel now stood before Judai, both more powerful then Obsidian now.

"All right, I end my turn Mizuchi." Judai could not help but be nervous as Miracle Fusion was sent to the grave; fortunately, it did not seem as though the card that Mizuchi discarded had any effect.

"And now, I play Dark World Lightning to destroy your face-down card." A pitch black bolt from heaven destroyed Judai's Hero Blast, which could only be activated when an Elemental Hero was destroyed by battle, denying Judai his path to bringing out Elemental Hero Sunlight. "Further, in accordance with Dark World Lightning I then discard one card from my hand, Kahkki the Guerrilla of Dark World, and when it is discarded I can destroy one card on the field." A horrid little goblin of a demon slit Obsidian's throat, leaving Judai with nothing to protect him. The finality of the duel's finish weighed down upon Judai, and before Mizuchi could order her final attack, Judai held his arm out.

"Wait!" Judai looked back to Rei; the look in her eyes, it was like her heart was about to break, and how could he blame her? He'd made a promise, a bet, a wager; he'd put her life in his hands, and he let her down. He turned back to Mizuchi, and breathed deeply. "I know I said Rei would join too, but...but it was never my place to decide that for her. So, just take me."

Rei was about to speak out, to say that if she had any problem with Judai's terms she would have said so, but she stopped herself, realizing what it was that Judai was doing. She was paralyzed by the knowing that the only thing she could do to help, was to be still and say nothing. There was precious little in the world that Rei would hate more than this moment. Not even Judai's reassuring smile and thumbs up helped.

"It is not yet her time. Very well Judai, you and you alone shall journey to the Light, and join once more with your friends again." For a moment, Judai could see the images of his friends reflected in the mirrors all around him, all sharing in the same glowing Light in their eyes, wearing the same white armband. And then, just as Rei and Edo ran up to him, all he saw was white, endless white as he collapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

"I see. So she was as powerful as she had described herself to be." Seto Kaiba observed the conclusion of the duel. "This Association of Light of hers and her brother's...it will resolve itself in time." He then turned back to Mokuba, who had just returned from his conversation with Rebecca. "Have you found the target?"

"Well," Mokuba said in a leading manner, "it was tricky at first; none of the unique cards that would definitively prove her to be The Hallowed One were played, so we began to think that she either didn't show or never got to play them. But, that's when it occurred to me; suppose I knew I were walking into a trap, what would I do to avoid getting caught in it? See, the answer becomes simple; look for the strategy that she _isn't _using, the one that she's avoiding, and there it is. There was only one person here at the KC EVRC who had the pieces, but never put them together the right way."

"Very good Mokuba. You know, I always knew you had it in you. You've made me proud. Now we just have to wait for our security to make me proud, and everything will be a success.

* * *

"Judai! Judai!" Rei yelled, staring down into washed out eyes that showed no response, shaking him in her arms to no effect. Edo looked upon them, a scowl crossing his face, and he turned back to Mizuchi.

"Listen Mizuchi, I don't know what it is you're really playing at with this, but right now I have a higher priority. And while I do thank you for arranging my invitation, and yes, you are the only one who could have gotten that invitation to the underground for me to use. In time, I will come back to get some real answers from you, but until then, I have to continue my search for The Hallowed One; she obviously isn't here."

"Edo, look at me." Edo stopped just as he was about to turn away. "Are you truly ready to face her? Having faced everything in these days, in this challenge, can you truly tell me that you are prepared?"

"Heh, you truly are cunning. Yes, I've learned a lot, both about my place, my responsibilities, and what I am capable of. I will not fail to bring The Hallowed One to justice." Mizuchi nodded at Edo, and then tapped a mirror, causing the image on it to ripple.

"Very well; look and you will see." The mirror began to settle, and what it showed...was a sunny windswept field, and at the boundary of the field was an endless row of crosses. Edo stared at it. He gripped his fist tighter and tighter. He drew blood, but he did not notice. Nor did he notice the images of the newest members of the Association of Light as they appeared in the other mirrors around him and the others. He turned and departed, followed by Rei who was dragging Judai over her shoulder. Asuka stayed with Mizuchi.

"You and your brother have trained him well." Asuka said with an honest smile on her face. "When he wins, he will have performed a great boon for the Association of Light."

Mizuchi was silent; even now, even as she looked at Judai's departing form in the mirrors, she could not see his fate, nor could she see what it was that blocked him from the vision of the Light. His bond with Asuka and everyone else had been broken, so what was there left to him? What strength was he calling on now?


	23. Chapter 23

Collapse of the Tower, the Fate of Duel Academia...

"We have now reached the conclusion of the Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge." Mokuba's voice rang out across the audience, both the one present physically and the one watching from all over the world. "Out of all the exceptional duellists that have been handpicked to participate, these four have chosen the path of humility; Shou Marufuji, Junko Makita, Jun Manjoume, and Maria Croix." The four duellists bowed before the audience to thunderous applause. "Now, as promised each of these duellists will receive a two point two million yen prize, but before that I'm sure that each of these exceptional duellists would like to say a few words first. How about you Shou?" The short teal haired boy eagerly took the microphone from Mokuba, and spoke with great force.

"I want everyone here to understand something very important, that the great Takuma Saiou has given me both the means to achieve this power to get this far, and the wisdom to know not to reach any farther than this. With these two qualities together, I have demonstrated the strength and wisdom of the Association of Light!" Shou then handed the microphone off to Junko, who was quick to carry off where Shou had left off.

"But that's not all that Takuma Saiou has shown us in the Association of Light; he has also shown us what this power and wisdom is for. He has shown us how to take these qualities within ourselves and develop them, unafraid of the future. And, he has shown us the glorious world that awaits us, a world filled with those people who've seen the Light, and I for one will welcome this world with open arms." She then tossed the microphone to Manjoume, who caught it with a twirling motion.

"Furthermore, there shall be no exclusion in this new world; as the strength of the Light grows, more and more will be accepted, exponentially until all the world has been given the chance to join as one. None shall be forced or coerced, for this is no cult, as some of our former detractors have said. They too have seen the Light, and now walk with us to the bright and foreseen future unafraid of what awaits us." And then, all three members of the Association of Light spoke as one.

"By seeing the Light we shall know our fate, by knowing our fate we shall know peace. May the Light continue to grow, until all the old mistakes and sins are left behind in the old world." Such was the fervour of these words that there were members of the audience who joined in as well; some of them even experienced a brief elation, a brief glow, as they said these words.

"Well, that is something I suppose." Mokuba said as he retrieved his microphone, manifestly one of the many who was not affected in this manner. "But now I think we ought to hear from our fourth duellist, Miss Maria Croix." He held the microphone out to her.

"Oh, in this crowd I'm positively humbled. I can only thank Kaiba Corp to give us all this opportunity for this most incredible event. Oh, and I can only thank Edo Phoenix for helping me make the decision to take the right hand door; I was so worried about whether or not to face your hidden duellist." Mokuba grinned.

"Are you sure about that? I'm sure that you could have won against her." As he said this, a number of suits emerged from the shadows. "At least, you could have if you'd used the full power of your deck and not just the fall-back strategy." As the suits moved in closer, Edo emerged as well, his face lined in cold fury.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Maria said in a casual fashion, one eyebrow arched in confusion. "Whatever you're insinuating, just say it out loud while the cameras are still capturing all this."

"If you think that justice has any need to hide," Edo called out, stepping forward onto the stage, "then you truly have become comfortable in the darkness, Maria Croix. But following your suggestion to say it out loud, how about The Hallowed One, murderer of the Phoenix's and killer of numerous duellists in the Underground league and elsewhere besides!" The entire crowd turned on Maria, some in outrage, others demanding answers, all with their eyes on her. Mokuba grinned in triumph, having achieved everything he sought. The suits were now mere inches from Maria, encasing her in powerful prison of flesh.

"Well, how about it Maria? Do you have anything to say in your own defence?" The woman looked around herself at her accusers, and flashed a joyous grin.

"Well, I was wondering how long this face would last; turns out, longer than I thought it would. I wonder how many more victories I will accrue, how many more will perish in my path, before you all catch up with me again?" Maria then leaped high up, very high up, impossibly high up. Those who were up close could see that the boots she wore held some manner of propulsion, boosting her distance by leaps and bounds. She landed outside the crowd, and called out to Mokuba. "Very good of you to realize the trick to see who I was; it was fun playing with your expectations." The suits rushed out through the parting crowd, led by an enraged Edo, who earned Maria's next declaration. "And look, it's the spoiled prince, come to claim the inheritance he never earned or deserved. Maybe in the course of this chase you'll learn who this power really belongs to!" She then resumed running, but only for a short time before launching a grappling hook to a nearby electronic lock, breaking the code and forcing the doors open. Edo and the others ran out, but saw that Maria was more prepared then they'd thought; there were more than a dozen other women running in various directions, all dressed in the same manner as Maria, wearing wigs, masks and contacts as well. The suits tracked them all down, and while they would all undoubtedly be charged as accomplices to Maria's crimes, the true Maria Croix, the Hallowed One, had escaped.

"Damn it!" Edo yelled out as he struck the wall. "I had her, and I let her walk away! Why didn't I realize that she was the one when I saw her?!" He then felt a hand on his shoulder; he looked over and saw Mokuba, who while clearly worried still carried a look of confidence.

"Don't worry, she hasn't done as good a job at escaping us as she thinks she has; what she doesn't realize is that we can still track her deck, anywhere in the world now. The next time she duels, and she will, we'll find her."

"That's okay, Mr. Kaiba. Just give me the information and the means to reach her. I'll take care of the rest."

At the same time as all this was happening, Rei was trying to find someone who could help the unconscious Judai. This help came in the form of Professor Hibiki, who immediately took Judai out of Rei's arms and carried him off to Head Nurse Ayukawa.

* * *

"Ah, Principal Samejima, I'm glad that you were able to make time for me." Takuma Saiou said as he entered Principal Semejima's office. "I just passed by Professor Chronos, but he didn't respond when I tried to talk to him. He seemed...agitated."

"As well he might, Takuma Saiou." Principal Samejima said, her eyes narrow as she arose from her desk. "I've received a disturbing call from Professor Hibiki; one of my students, my precious students, is unconscious and we have no way of knowing when he will awaken. According to Rei, the perpetrator of this crime was your sister, Mizuchi Saiou, who claimed to be acting in your interests and the interests of the Association of Light." Takuma Saiou's confidence was broken in two, split down the middle; his eyes wavered, even as the rest of his face was unaffected.

"It would seem that no matter what I do my sister's conviction that she must bear these sins upon her own heart for my sake cannot be overcome. Thus, despite my own nature, I must harden my heart for her sake, and claim Duel Academia itself for the Association of Light. Will you concede to fate, Principal Samejima, or will you resist and force my hand?"

"Half the year has passed and you would question my devotion to this institution and its students?" Principal Samejima armed her duel disc. "It would seem that neither of us knew each other as well as we would have liked." Samejima and Saiou now stood at opposite ends of the office, all obstructions receding into the walls automatically. "Now, as the last bastion of Duel Academia, I will begin this duel, and summon Ojama Blue in defence mode." An...unusual little blue creature in what could only be described as a Speedo appeared, its head many times the size of the rest of its body in defiance of all laws of proportions.

"An Ojama deck? How strangely appropriate." Saiou said, unable to disguise his amusement in even these circumstances.

"Indeed; unpolished and untested, that was how many of the students came here, but with the guidance that I, Chronos, and Hibiki provided, they've become capable of so much more. Likewise, these monsters, dismissed by many as trash monsters, shall by my guiding hand reveal their full potential. I set one card, and end my turn."

"Very well. Now, you've observed my power many times, but this shall be the first time you will be subject to it. In accordance with this, I summon Arcana Force V, The Hierophant." The figure that emerged onto the field was also strange, but in a very different way from Ojama Blue; The Hierophant was an obese bearded man with a mask reclining on an opulent throne. And almost sprouting from that throne was the form of a woman, her head replaced by a cross with six branches. The card of that monster appeared above it, spinning as Samejima had heard about.

"Stop!"

"The upright effect of The Hierophant; this card embodies faith, guidance of a spiritual nature, and tradition. You are more than a mere guardian of the gate, Principal Samejima; when this duel is over, I will have supplanted your role here in its entirety. This is the first stage of my prediction. Now, The Hierophant, attack Ojama Blue." The female half of The Hierophant ran her fingers across her head to generate great power, and the male half directed that power to destroy Ojama Blue.

"When Ojama Blue is destroyed in battle, I can add to Ojama cards from my deck to my hand; therefore, I add Ojama Country and Ojamagic to my hand."

"Very good Principal Samejima; I anticipated no less of you. I will set two cards now, and end my turn. But the instant you draw your next card, is when the effect of The Hierophant is activated." The Hierophant began to glow with a blue tint, and Samejima's card shared that same glow. "During your draw phase, I declare whether your card is a monster, a spell, or a trap card. You then show it to me, and if I'm right, you must send it to the grave. It's a spell card." Samejima turned the card over, revealing it to be Ojama Delta Hurricane.

"You may think that you've defeated my ace card, but there are as many paths as there are cards or souls; I now play the field spell card, Ojama Country." The office became a squat little village of mushroom houses, and wandering from house to house were ugly little Ojama creatures. "Now, once per turn I can send one Ojama card from my hand to the grave to special summon an Ojama from my grave to the field. Furthermore, when Ojamagic is sent to the grave, I can add Ojamas Yellow, Green, and Black to my hand. Finally, by playing Fusion, I can combine my three Ojamas into Ojama King." With these cards played, Ojama Blue had returned to the field, and standing towering above it was the strange yet powerful Ojama King, who sealed away three of Saiou's monster zones. "Furthermore, by the effect of Ojama Country, whenever an Ojama monster is on the field all monsters have their attack and defence values switched." In this manner Ojama King gained 3000 attack points, while Ojama Blue gained 1000.

"An interesting effect, Principal Samejima, but meaningless to my Arcana Force Monsters; all of them are perfectly balanced as they are, so switching their stats does nothing to them."

"And at the same time, they are incapable of growth, while the Ojamas are under no such limitation. I play Ojamuscle to sacrifice Ojama Blue and increase Ojama King's attack by an additional one thousand points. Ojama King, attack The Hierophant!" Ojama King leaped up into the air, preparing to perform a devastating belly flop upon The Hierophant.

"I activate my trap card, Inviolate Fate; when I control an Arcana Force monster, I can negate your attack and add another Arcana Force monster of equal level to my hand."

"Wrong; I activate the counter trap Dark Bribe, negating your trap card and allowing you to draw one card. Ojama King's attack will go through." And indeed it did. Yet when the dust settled The Hierophant was unharmed, and no damage had been done.

"By discarding Arcana Force XIV Temperance, I can reduce the battle damage of one battle to zero. Furthermore, by activating the trap card Present Denial, I can prevent the destruction of one Arcana Force monster on this turn, and draw one card for every time it would have been destroyed. Now, what was it you had said, about my cards being incapable of growth? As you've just found for yourself, my potential shall reveal itself to whatever extent is necessary; a strong foe merits a strong response, and a weak foe a weak response; you will merit a very powerful response indeed."

"Be that as it may, this monster that I've raised to this power will not be so easily overcome. I end my turn."

"And now I will begin mine by sacrificing The Hierophant to summon Arcana Force IX The Hermit." The Hierophant folded in on itself and vanished in a flash of light, and became replaced by a figure that stood within a lamp hanging in the air, a small shrunken figure that dared not look outside. The card above it began to turn, and Samejima chose the moment to stop it once more. "Now, The Hermit is in the upright position. By this card, we see the power of introspection, of looking within oneself for truth and guidance. When the day ends and darkness descends upon the world, we must be able to answer to ourselves, or we will not be able to act. Thus, by the upright effect of The Hermit, your strongest monster can't attack and can't change battle position." The light of the lamp surrounding the hermit began to glow a baleful red, and that same light enveloped Ojama King, causing it to crouch in on itself, its eyes seeing only itself.

"So, do you mean to say that I've been insufficient in my own introspection? That were I to have performed more soul searching that this fate could have been avoided, Saiou?"

"No, Samejima, I'm saying that only I, who has been blessed by the Light beyond all others at this time, am the only one equipped to see the truth of my soul. And speaking of the Light, I now play both of my Mystical Cards of Light, allowing me to draw two cards during my draw phase at the cost of two spell/trap zones. Now, we would seem to be at an impasse, so I will end my turn quite unafraid."

"Very well, I will send Ojama Red to the grave to special summon Ojama Blue back to the field in defence mode, set one card, and end my turn." Principal Samejima carefully calculated the possible paths now available to Takuma Saiou, and found them pleasing; everything was in place, and no matter which path Saiou took, victory would belong only to her. For the sake of her students, Principal Samejima swore she would not fail against this fraud!

"Is that all?" Saiou said as he drew two cards in tune with the flashing light. "I would have expected a more aggressive stance; perhaps your forced introspection will have done you some good. I will begin this turn by summoning Arcana Force 0 The Fool in defence mode." The clownish figure appeared, crouching and appearing like something out of a dream. The card appeared above it as well.

"Stop!" It ended its spinning, in reverse.

"Ah, the die is cast; in the upright position, the fool is optimism and hope, but reversed it becomes folly. In short, the very outset of your personal journey has been mistaken, and all manner of error has emerged from this basic mistake."

"And what makes you think that I'm going to find your words convincing at all?" Samejima said as her hands shook silently.

"Because you know them to be true; were it not to be the case, the cards would not have responded in the manner they did."

"You speak as though the cards themselves are alive. Are you drawing upon the power of some spirit? Is that what the Light that you speak of is?" As Samejima spoke these words, Saiou began to laugh.

"Such ignorance! Never would I have dreamed to have found it here, at the top of the tower! You truly do not understand what the powers are that you and your pupils have been playing with; fortunately, my wisdom and guidance can correct those errors. The Hermit, attack Ojama Blue!" A fire erupted beneath Ojama Blue's feet as The Hermit looked ever inward, ignoring its cries for help. "Now I'll set one card, and end my turn."

"It would seem that you've made an even more basic error, Saiou; you know full well the effect of Ojama Blue, and by its effect I add Ojama Red and Ojama Delta Hurricane to my hand. Next, I play De-Fusion to send Ojama King back to the fusion deck and bring out Ojamas Yellow, Green and Black!" The three tasteless Ojama Brothers leaped down onto the field, eager for battle. "Next I activate Ojama Trio, special summoning three Ojama tokens upon your side of the field in defence mode, and for each one destroyed you will take three hundred points of damage. But I'm not finished yet! I now play Unity of Family, increasing the attack power of my Ojamas by eight hundred so long as all monsters in my grave share their type. And now, the finishing move, Ojama Delta Hurricane!" The Ojama Brothers crowded together, cheek to cheek as it were, and began to spin and fly above Saiou's field, releasing a thunderous blast of destruction that wiped Saiou's field clean. Furthermore, with the destruction of the Ojama tokens Saiou had only 3100 life points left.

And yet, the Ojama brothers were frozen in place as soon as they touched back down, as though time itself had passed over them.

"You've tried to anticipate my trap, but unwittingly you have fulfilled it; when you destroyed my face down True Perspective of Time, your turn ended in that very moment. Samejima, you've played well, but you can't win this duel; the outcome was determined before it began. I now play Necro Sacrifice, special summoning two monsters in my grave to your side of the field in defence mode to summon an eighth level monster from my hand without sacrifice, Arcana Force XVI, The Tower!" A huge, spindly, unwieldy being appeared, seemingly built from countless ruins from throughout the ages. It seemed incapable of movement without breaking apart in at least a dozen places, and its face was worn with regrets. Three cards appeared above each of the newly summoned Arcana Force monsters, and it indeed seemed that fate was bent on Saiou's victory, for the Tower appeared in the upright position while The Hermit and The Hierophant were reversed.

"What is this?!" Samejima cried out as her new monsters shifted into attack mode.

"By the reverse effect of The Hermit, all your monsters must remain in attack mode and your strongest can't attack. Further, by the reverse effect of The Hierophant, during your draw phase if I can correctly declare the type of card you must discard that card. But that effect won't be coming into play; by the upright effect of The Tower, symbolizing the collapse of all dreams beliefs and hopes so that something new and greater may arise from those very ruins, The Tower can attack all your monsters at once!"

As The Tower began to fall, collapsing with all the force of ten thousand failed dreams, Samejima felt a terrible presence filling her very soul. Down the line her monsters perished, until The Hermit itself was destroyed along with Samejima's life points.

In that moment, Samejima collapsed, and did not rise. Saiou examined her inquisitively, checking her breathing and her pulse.

"So you hide, hoping to find an opportunity to strike back beyond my control. Foolishness itself. When you awaken, you shall find yourself in a world that is one with the Light, and understand for once the world that you live in." Saiou then walked over to Samejima's desk, having extended back into place upon the conclusion of the duel. He turned on the PA system, and spoke.

"Attention, Duel Academia and members of the Association of Light; Principal Samejima has just acceded control of Duel Academia to myself, so there will be a brief transitional period as everything becomes settled into the new order. The first decree that I make is as follows..."

* * *

"Don't worry Judai, you just rest and recover; you've had a long day and you deserve it." Professor Hibiki said, and as Rei watched her, she couldn't help but see the outline of a vicious mother grizzly around her as she stood guard over Judai. Rei could only begin to imagine the effect that having a woman like her around as an influence on the young Judai, and she began to understand what it truly was that Judai had seen in Asuka, and how badly that forced betrayal had hurt him. Rei could only wait, and hope, that the sanctum of Duel Academia would provide some sanity for when they would have to plan their counterattack.


	24. Chapter 24

Confrontation in the Heart of Cruelty

"Mother, Father, I need your guidance." Edo muttered this and other statements besides to himself as he walked listlessly down the streets of Domino City. "What am I supposed to do? Even if I find her, the monster who took your lives, how do I keep her from escaping again? How do I keep this mission of mine from becoming an endless journey?" Despite his fame, the people around him walked around him, gave him space far in excess of what his body alone needed. Edo's anxiety had become a palpable aura that even the most selfish clod could sense, and knew to avoid. "And even if I can trap her, will defeating her mean anything?" At the time he'd given it no thought, Edo had been so caught on the possibility of catching the monster that he'd been seeking for what felt like a lifetime and counting, but the outcomes of the duels against the Association of Light...it gave Edo pause. Judai being carried away unconscious by Rei while Asuka watched on without any concern whatsoever? It was all wrong, and yet what was the outcome of a duel, if not proof of conviction? All the stories he'd heard of the battles against Daitokuji's Waves of Destruction at Duel Academia, of the possessed duellists being saved from the darkness within them, was that really any different from what Takuma and Mizuchi were doing? It was as though he walked in a hollow forest of fog, and Edo saw no way out of it, no path to the truth that he desperately sought.

"Hello there young man," A high aged voice shook Edo out of his daze, and though he still felt lost, he appreciated the presence of another. He looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a little old man who had to be pushing 80 sweeping the steps in front of his shop. According to the sign, it was the...The Kame Game Shop? "Young man, I can't quite place you, but you look like one of those kids I saw on TV not too long ago, the ones participating in that KC EVXC or whatever it was called."

"You," Edo said, the shock palpable in his voice, "You're Sugoroku Mutou, Yuugi Mutou's grandfather, aren't you?" The old man smiled and chuckled in response.

"Yes, that's the response I usually get whenever people see me out sweeping. They keep saying 'Old man Mutou, surely you can afford to hire a strapping young boy to take care of menial labour like that. In fact, I've got a lazy son who could use a lesson in hard work', or something of the sort. But to me, there's an honesty to sweeping the steps; it's a job that always needs doing and I can't just sweep it under the rug." Sugoroku said the last with a light laugh. "But I'm sure you're too busy for stories like that. In fact, I'm entirely certain you'd like to purchase some rare cards, young..." Sugoroku rolled his hand about, hoping to prompt an answer.

"Edo Phoenix." Edo looked for the sure sign of sympathy, of pity, of remorse in the old man's face. And while the man was hardly happy, the frown on Sugoroku's face was like nothing Edo had seen before.

"I see. It's quite the burden that you bear young man. Please, come inside; I've a pot of tea that should be ready any moment now." Sugoroku carried his old broom with him like a sword balanced against his shoulder, and Edo followed him inside the small game shop. He sat down at the table in the side room, and watched Sugoroku pour the tea before joining him. "My grandson, he faced some very serious trials when he was around your age, and there were times when it seemed like he was going to lose everything. In fact, right at the end he had to make a sacrifice that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But he made it through it all with the help of...well, you should know."

"Yes, of course sir." Edo was well versed in the stories about Yuugi Mutou and his friends. "But...even if I had friends to call my own," Edo said as he reflected upon his stubborn and defiant refusal to let anyone help him when he left Duel Academia; even if there were still friends for him to call on, how could he? He kept thinking that he had to do everything, that he had to carry everyone's burdens on his own back, and where did it all get him? "...Tell me, sir, when Yuugi made that sacrifice, how did he know it was the right thing to do?" Edo only had rumours to go on regarding this 'sacrifice' that the Duel King had made, but he didn't feel right trying to pry for details; after all, the old man wasn't prying for details from him.

"Well, if I may speak with pride for a moment, my grandson had a very uncommon bravery; a courage that for years not even he recognized. My grandson Yuugi, he saw things as he knew they could be, not as they were, and his honest belief in what he saw made those things come true. He knew that while it would hurt for a long while, that in a small place in his heart it would never stop hurting, but he knew that his friend deserved no less then that sacrifice, no matter how much the both of them wished it hadn't been necessary." Sugoroku took a long sip of his tea. "Edo, when you can answer just who it is you're fighting for and why, that's when you'll know what the right thing to do will be."

"Who I'm fighting for..." Edo thought about it; his parents, the underground duellists, all the others that Maria had killed in her madness. But...but something was missing; there were so many counting on him, and yet though he tried he couldn't firmly point to any of them and say that it was for them. Not even, much to his surprise, his parents. "There has to be someone..." Edo stared down at his tea, wondering if knowing the answer to 'who', could really bring him the clarity the 'what' and 'how'.

Edo's cell phone rang, and he answered it.

"Edo, we've found her, but you're going to have to move quickly, so we've already sent a helicopter to your position. It should be right outside Grandpa Mutou's card shop." Mokuba hung up not even a moment after conveying his message. Edo's body arose from his seat, thanked Sugoroku for his time, and ran out to enter the helicopter.

His mind was still wandering that hollow forest of fog, and he swore that in the distance he could see the shadow of someone, a light and darkness that he intuitively recognized as his answer. He had to keep moving, and find it.

"I'll give the Kaiba brothers credit; I hadn't spotted the tracer until after it gave away my position. Not that it'll do them or you any good, oh prince." Maria Croix engaged in a faux bow, her every move conveying her contempt for Edo. He responded with an even glare as they stood on opposite ends of the graveyard.

* * *

"How fitting a venue indeed, that a murderer would meet justice in the Hall of Death." Maria laughed, conveying nothing of the woman that she seemed to be when Edo had met her at the KC EVRC.

"The hall of death? Don't be so modest Edo, call it what it is; the Heart of Cruelty. This is a place that exists to remind us of our losses, a place where souls wallow in their own misery in an effort to gain pity. The lives and souls that I've spirited here, are but a mere drop in the bucket all told. And yet, your conceit, your spoiled, privileged, selfish conceit leads you to believe that you are in any sort of position to condemn me?" She laughed again, cold, vindictive, and cruel.

"Enough!" Edo could just see it, the person that he was fighting for, the one who would give him clarity and show him that he was doing the right thing. "Whatever excuses or stories you have to tell are irrelevant; you're a criminal who's killed innocent people for no other reason than a whim, and for that I will see justice served!" Edo armed his duel disc, and Maria did the same.

"Only a spoiled brat who's never had to toil or struggle, coddled by parents who raised him in a world of wool, could say such a thing. Let me show it to you Edo, the power that I earned by my own hands. I'll begin by summoning Evoltector Chevalier in attack mode, and set one card to end my turn." A warrior in fire red armour appeared on the field, his sword held out with 1900 attack points to back it up.

"Is that all? Please, my parents would be weeping to see their deck, my deck, misplayed like that! I now play the field spell card Royal Hall, and then discard a card from my hand to special summon The Tricky, which I sacrifice to summon Thestalos the Fire Monarch! By his effect, I discard one card from your hand and if it's a monster I deal damage based on its level!" The king of fire punched the air, and the burning current of fire consumed the middle card of Maria's hand. As it descended into the grave, the image of a towering face appeared, the face of a legendary monster that had been summoned only once, in a legendary earth shaking duel that changed the future of the duelling world forever.

"Very good Edo, destroying my Exodia the Forbidden One. Yes, the ultimate sealed god that can achieve an instant victory against any opponent; truly, the perfect gift for a child who's never earned anything, never had to sacrifice anything for his heart's desire. And just like a spoiled brat who can't have a toy, you try to break mine. But don't think that your efforts will bear fruit; I've earned this deck, proven myself to it, and it will bear its true power for me."

"Don't bother bluffing, it won't work Maria! Thestalos, attack Chevalier!" Thestalos raised his fist and brought down a column of fire upon Chevalier, who became ash in that inferno. "Your thievery lies, and murders have caught up to you, and I will not be deterred. I set two cards to end my turn."

"Wrong." Maria called out in a cutting voice. The image of a decrepit hall appeared all around the duellists. "By Birthright's power, I can bring back a normal monster in the grave, and so long as Chevalier is in the grave, it counts as a normal monster. Return, Chevalier!" The soldier of fire emerged once more, ready for battle. "How appropriate a card indeed, for a child like you who's been handed everything. But I've made this power mine, by blood sweat and tears. Now, it's my turn, and I activate the spell card Arms Hole, sending the top card of my deck to the grave to add one equip spell card from my deck or grave to my hand."

"No you won't! I activate my trap card, Solemn Judgment, and pay half my life points to negate the effect of your card. Furthermore, even though you won't get the card you want, you still lose the top card of your deck, and you can't perform a normal summon on this turn." As his life points were drained, Edo suddenly felt an intense pressure pressing down on him from all sides, squeezing the air from his lungs

"Ah, confused? Wondering why I didn't react when you did that damage to me? It's very simple; see, unlike you who is new to real duelling, I've lived in this world for a very, very long time. Right from the very beginning, as a matter of fact."

"The beginning?" Edo said, catching his breath. "Do you mean the underground league? But that's impossible, it's only been around for eight years, you would have been a child back then."

"I know. A small child prodigy, facing off against grown men and women hardened by life, subject to whatever twisted rules the patrons concocted for their own amusement; it's a scenario that they couldn't resist." Edo's face became drawn into an expression of shock, and Maria laughed, cold and bitter. "And you, you rested upon the laurels of your parents' success. Why you and not me? The answer is simple; fate." At the mention of that word, Edo felt himself make another leap in the hollow forest, yet he'd still not reached the end. "And if fate is unfair in one direction for over eight years, then why shouldn't that favoured unfairness be reversed? To say that only you deserve such unearned fortune is hubris!"

"Shut...shut up!" This was exactly what Edo had been worried about; Maria had to be stopped, he knew this in his head, but his heart heard the words as well, and how could he rail against the cruelty of fate against him, and deny its cruelty to her? "Just, keep duelling!"

"Very well, I change Chevalier to defence mode, and set one card to end my turn."

"And now I activate my trap, Monarch Calling, and since I have Thestalos on the field I can add a Monarch to my hand. So I'll be adding Zaborg the Thunder Monarch from my deck to my hand. Thus I sacrifice Thestalos to summon Zaborg, and destroy your Chevalier!" The king of lightning raised his arms, and the arcing bolts leaping from fist to fist rushed over Chevalier, frying it. Edo breathed deeply, focusing his resolve.

"And by destroying Chevalier you've activated my trap card, Theft of Truth, allowing me to add Gemini Monsters from my deck to my hand, so long as their sum total of levels equals your monster's level. Therefore, I add the level four Dark Valkyria and the level two Gemini Soldier to my hand."

"Sorry, but you won't have time to make use of your monster's full power, I won't let you! Zaborg, attack directly!" Zaborg punched Maria directly in the gut with a bolt of lightning, and it seemed that not even she could resist it fully.

"Not bad Edo," She said breathing deeply, "I can tell you've changed; you actually have a sense of the real world now, but it's come far too late, and you've not yet had time to make it part of you; perhaps if you hadn't rushed things, then it wouldn't end like it will...ha ha, but you know better than that, we both do; this conflict, this battle, this duel, it is fate itself. The very weight of the world itself has aligned itself with me, not you."

"As unfortunate as your life has been, you know NOTHING, about the workings of fate, and I will not have you claim such backing! I set one card, and end my turn."

"And now for my turn Edo, let's find out if you're ready for it; I summon Dark Valkyria from my hand, and equip her with Supervis, granting her her effect; I add a spell counter to her, and then remove it to destroy your Zaborg." The witch advanced with an eerie afterimage, an aura of power that enveloped Zaborg before crushing it. Then she raised her metal wings for the attack.

"Trap card activate, Mirror Force!" Dark Valkyria's attack shattered against an invisible barrier, and bounced back upon her, destroying her utterly. But the aura that surrounded her remained.

"When Supervis is sent to the grave, I can special summon a normal monster from my grave, and since all Gemini monsters count as normal monsters in the grave, that means I can special summon Phoenix Gearfried to the field." A fully armoured warrior in white hot armour, sword and shield at the ready, and 2800 attack points. "Even without Arms Hole's effect being successful, playing it still ensured my success. When this attack goes through, Edo, your mind will be completely overwhelmed; everything that is you will perish, leaving behind only the empty husk of your spoiled and coddled flesh."

"How? How are you doing this? If those were the God Cards it would be one thing..." Maria laughed, harsh and high.

"You really think it's all about the cards. You've not been listening Edo." She pointed to her duel disc. "This, is the secret other half of my power. This duel disc is a special one, one that I stole and replaced with a faulty one. Its solid vision is so advanced, that it actually achieves full liminality. The boundary between the real and the mind is broken by this technology. And with this deck that can never fail me, my victories shall be absolute. Goodbye Edo; may you reincarnate as someone who's earned their keep." Phoenix Gearfried raised his sword, and brought it down in a swift motion, the fire gathering around the blade ready to immolate Edo's mind.

It never reached Edo. The spirit of an unseen warrior appeared, and protectively wrapped itself around Edo, keeping him safe from harm.

"By removing Necro Gardna in the grave from play, I negate your monsters attack. It seems that this duel won't be ending so quickly Maria."

"So it would seem Edo, but don't forget that while you've rested fat and happy for years on end, I've endured the worst of humanity's whims and excesses, it's decadences and indulgences; do you believe that your soul can match mine? I set one card, and end my turn."

"And now I remove two Monarch Counters from Royal Hall to summon a Monarch Token, and sacrifice that token to summon Kuraz the Light Monarch, and with his effect I'll destroy your Gearfried, and my own Royal Hall, allowing each of us to draw one card." As the hall vanished along with Gearfried, Edo saw a change come over Maria's face; he saw the shadow of a frightened girl, only a child yet in chains. "Kuraz can't attack on the turn that he's summoned, so I'll set my remaining card, and end my turn."

"And now..." Maria said, her breathing shallow at first but recovering fast. "And now I play the spell card Magical Stone Excavation, sending Left Arm of the Forbidden One and Gemini Soldier to the grave to return Arms Hole to my hand, which I play, sending...Right Arm of the Forbidden One from my deck to the grave to add Hallowed Barrier to my hand. Next, I activate my trap card, Normal Grave Collective. With my level eight Phoenix Gearfried and my level two Gemini Soldier acting as normal monsters in the grave, I can add a level ten monster to my hand, and this monster has a very interesting method of summoning; you see, by returning all monsters in my grave back to my deck, I special summon the Ultimate Sealed God, Exodius!"

"What!" As the monster appeared, he staggered at the thought of it; had his parents...had they really created a new god card? The monster was now manifesting, now only a shadow of Exodia, but Edo had every confidence that this would soon change. And unfortunately, his Bottomless Trap Hole would not be able to target it.

"Exodius has a zero attack power, but for every normal monster in the grave it gains one thousand attack points. When it attacks, I can send a monster from my hand or deck to the grave, and if I should send all five cards of Exodia to the grave in this manner, I obtain an instant victory. And that's not all; I now equip Exodius with my equip spell card, Hallowed Barrier." Exodius became surrounded by a circle of white runes, the souls of the dead empowering them. "So long as Exodius is so equipped, I can't summon any other monsters, and I deal no battle damage. But, in return whenever Exodius would be removed from the field I can send a monster from my hand or deck to the grave to keep it on the field. Now, Exodius, attack Kuraz!" With the Ultimate Sealed God's power the Right Leg was sent to the grave, and by the power of Hallowed Barrier, Maria sent Magical Reflect Slime from her hand to the grave to guarantee the survival of her monster. Kuraz survived, but Edo already saw the writing on the wall, the fated inevitable conclusion of the duel. "Your turn Edo, for all the good it will do you."

"I set one monster, and end my turn." Edo knew that Old Vindictive Magician's effect would not be able to affect Exodius, but he needed to keep a sacrifice for a Monarch that could do something about it.

"Pointless Struggling. I'll now have Exodius attack, and send the Left Leg of the Forbidden One to the grave." The speed with which Exodius struck was incredible, and Edo could feel the despair mounting in him. This feeling...it was being imposed upon him; it was just like the duel in the Underground. And yet, though Edo recognized it for what it was, he couldn't shake it. It was just as Maria had said, he was simply too inexperienced in this sort of duel, when it was real and not just a performance. Despite how much he disdained and looked down upon the Underground League, he now recognized it for the crucible that it was. And in that moment, Edo found himself at the edge of the Hollow Forest. And there he saw two people; Takuma Saiou, and...Maria Croix? He found it hard to believe, but Edo saw the truth of it; fate, justice, they demanded that Maria receive her due. This was what Saiou had taught him, and Edo knew that he couldn't pick and choose, decide who deserved justice; even someone who had fallen so far into the darkness, merited a chance for the light. "Now, I set one card, and end my turn.

"My turn Maria. And don't worry, I'll make sure...I'll make sure that you receive justice." Edo said with eyes unwavering, eyes that were met with equal confidence.

"So you say, brat. But how do you plan to make good on your words? Even if by some miracle you win, you would have no more say in my fate then my so-called friends back in the underground. Worthless liars, stringing me along with their promise of companionship and comradery. They deserved their deaths, and so do you!" Edo firmed his resolve, knowing that he would need every last bit of it.

"I now play Graceful Charity, drawing three and discarding two. And now I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Kuraz, and with his effect I destroy Bottomless Trap Hole, and your Hallowed Barrier!" The circle of souls vanished, denying Exodius its immortality. "And now I shall flip summon Vindictive Old Magician to destroy your Exodius!" The magician drew his face into a terrible sneer as the necrotic forces descended upon Exodius.

"Trap card activate, Final Judgment! By sending two Gemini Monsters from my deck to the grave, I prevent Exodius from being destroyed, and with two more monsters in the grave Exodius's attack power rises to five thousand. You want to make this difficult, I will crush you absolutely Edo. You, the very embodiment of everything that I despise in this world!"

"Maria..." For the first time, Edo could see the conflicting web of duties that he'd become enveloped in; duty to his father, to his mother, to Saiou, to his friends, to the underground duellists, and to Maria herself, even though she didn't yet see it. Fate could at times have a twisted path, but he knew that the only way through, was to move forward unflinching. "Maria, I will show you the merit of my words, of my convictions, with my duelling. I set one card, and end my turn."

"My turn Edo! And now I equip Tempered Onslaught to Exodius, negating any effect that would negate its attack, and then I equip it with Crimson Vendetta, allowing it to attack once for every monster you control by sending a monster from my deck to the grave. No matter what you have, you can't defeat me, not after all that I've done to achieve this fate! Exodius, attack Old Vindictive Magician!"

"Trap card activate, Sacrifice of the Fallen; by removing two Monarchs from my grave from play, I can switch two monsters I control to defence mode, and for each monster destroyed I can draw one card." Exodius's rage was unrelenting, but the sacrifice of both king and commoner saved Edo.

"Irrelevant, Edo. Exodius now has an attack power of nine thousand, and you can't summon another Monarch in time to save you. Give up, now! "

"No, not yet Maria. I will show you my real strength, a strength that will show the true path that fate has lain out before us. I begin my turn by summoning Devoted Faithful One, and then I play Enemy Controller, sacrificing my monster to take control of Exodius!" As the Devoted Faithful One fell, the very images of Edo's parents appeared each flanking Exodius who now stood on Edo's side.

"No, no you can't, I'm the one who earned that card, not you!" Edo could see Maria was beginning to collapse, beginning to fall apart from the collapse of all her works.

"...Exodius, attack." With overwhelming strength, Exodius attacked. Maria, despite everything, remained silent as the attack claimed her life points. She collapsed onto her knees, her deck falling out of her duel disc which was now falling apart. It was clear that it had been heavily jury rigged and would not have been much longer for the world. If Maria had been so bent to see him suffer, then it made sense to Edo that she had allowed herself to be caught, rather than continue her game and risk losing her chance to see him suffer as she had. Edo ran up to her, and kneeled down to her, looking her in the eye as she had collapsed to her own knees.

"Damn it. Damn it all." Tears broke through despite herself. "That bastard Saiou, was I nothing more than a pawn of your game?"

"Saiou?" He had to have misheard that, Edo was certain of it.

"Yes, Saiou. It was a few months ago, I'd heard about him. I was destitute, desperate. I met with him, and he told me everything; told me how I would steal the deck, kill your parents, get my vengeance on those bastards back at the Underground...and then I would face you in one final match."

"What cards did he draw? Tell me!" Edo knew that it had to be a lie, Saiou couldn't have, not even with the strange things he'd been doing lately, not even with his sister's actions, he couldn't have done this, not this.

"It was...first, it was The Chariot in reverse. He said it represented my rage against the tyranny of my life. Accompanying it was The Hierophant, representing our fated meeting. The third card was The Hanged Man. He claimed that it marked my imminent release from my paralysis, my escape from my prison. That was accompanied by Death, cementing my imminent transformation. And the final card was Judgment. That by following his path, I would find the path to my true world." Edo stared, unable to disbelieve.

"But it's obvious now that he was always talking about you, that I was only ever his instrument to affect his plans for you. How could I have been so stupid as to trust him, after everything I'd been through? How could I be so stupid as to think that he was any different? How could I be stupid enough to believe that my story would ever be my own, and not just a piece to justify and glorify another's? Damn it all, why didn't I die back then and avoid all this misery!?"

"Shut up!" Edo's tears were flowing freely as the security of both Industrial Illusions, of Kaiba Corp, and even the Domino City police arrived. Edo grabbed up Maria's deck, turned to the law, and spoke without emotion. "You may arrest her, but do not touch her until I return; if anyone is to pass sentence on her, it will be me and no one else." Edo walked away, and spoke one last time before leaving. "If I should find that even one of you has disregarded my words, then I shall turn the full weight of Justice upon you." Edo then made his way to Mokuba's helicopter, and began making plans for his return to Duel Academia. There was much to talk about. Much.


	25. Chapter 25

In the Vale of Light, The Path to Home

"It was just like the dream." Judai muttered to himself, floating in the endless void of white. He hadn't thought about the dream he'd had at the start of the year in months, but he'd been wandering alone for what had felt like an eternity and there was nothing else he could bring himself to think of. Judai could see that dream taking shape in the endless white before him; there two of him, one real, and one was Saiou after taking his face and voice.

"The World is in reverse, Judai. It symbolizes your stagnation." Didn't...didn't Asuka say something about that? His memory of recent events was foggy, but Judai was sure that that word had come up. But no matter how he tried to look at it, nothing about the situation made sense; how could he have...how was it even possible for him to have done that to his friend? To Asuka? To the woman he loved?

"Your skill and optimism will avail you not, Judai; if you continue on your current path, the World that you reach will be a false one." Now with almost everyone aligned to his path, either through his own efforts or Mizuchi's, it certainly did seem that the future, that the world, was going to form around Saiou's proclamations. And with the support and power of his friends, how could Saiou fail? Judai watched his past self defeat The World with the aid of its own effect, but he couldn't bring himself to smile at his victory.

"Judgment has been passed Judai." A voice echoed in the light, washing away the vision of the old dream. "The power of The Light shall not be denied the eternal zenith. Join with it, and claim your rightful place. Join and you will once more be with your friends. Even your love shall see you as someone worthy of her once more, so long as you acknowledge your place and your duty." As the words washed over Judai, warm and comforting, he began to try and reach out for someone, anyone who could say no.

"I owe the Association of Light my strength bro. You'll never hear me say a word against it." Shou Marufuji's face appeared in the light, shining bright. Reinforcing these words was Manjoume, his voice echoing with resonance.

"I was lost, not sure of the future, before I found the Light. The Association has earned my loyalty for all time." Junko Makita stood tall and proud, and following her was Momoe Hamaguchi, giving strength to those words.

"The Association of Light has brought me insight and wisdom. Judai, your stubborn independence is pointless; we're all only trying to help you." Daichi Misawa spoke with authority, and Asuka Tenjouin's silence was all that Judai needed to hear.

Judai could have sworn that Rei, Momiji, Edo, and Midori were trying to reach him, trying to help him. But the Light anticipated them, and blocked them at every turn. Alone and cold, drifting in the light, Judai began to see that he was nothing. He thought that he'd been helping his friends, but they'd all moved on without him, so did that mean he was wrong?

"I'm so tired. I just...I just want to go back home, where everyone is." The light began to grow even brighter, and Judai could feel his body being washed away, consumed in the white.

And then, just as suddenly as the growth of the Light, a Shadow appeared, breaking the light. An inky blackness roiled about, restoring Judai's body, rejuvenating his soul. The abstract forces writhed as though in battle, seeking mutual annihilation above all else. And from out of that Shadow, someone emerged. For a moment, Judai thought that it was Daitokuji, desperate to attack in this moment of vulnerability. But in the vale between the Light and the Dark, it was plain to see that it was in fact, Kouyou Hibiki.

"Hey Judai, how's my little brother? You making trouble for our big Sister? You got something you want to talk to me about?" Judai stared in befuddlement at Kouyou, and for a moment he wondered how this was possible. But in the next, he dismissed it as irrelevant, and ran up to his 'brother' and embraced him.

"Kouyou! You don't know how much I've missed you. I've...I've worked really hard to make you proud of me, to carry on your legacy. But, I messed up somehow, and everything's gone all wrong." Kouyou put his hand on Judai's head and began to rub it in a comforting manner.

"And judging by the red coat you've got on, I'd say that you've been doing a great job. So what could possibly have you down? Tell me all about it, don't leave anything out Judai. Because I'm here for you."

And so Judai told Kouyou everything. He told him about how he got into Duel Academia, about all the friends he'd made. He told him about Fubuki's disappearance, and how Asuka pushed everyone away to struggle alone. He told him about the Shadow that Daitokuji had unleashed upon the students of Duel Academia, and how Asuka held the key to completing his deck and saving everyone. He told him about the dreams that he and Asuka had had, about how Edo and Saiou appeared. Judai told Kouyou about how Shou was the first to join the Association of Light and how it grew slowly at first, and then suddenly began to swell as new members joined every day. He told him about the death of Edo's parents and how he ran off, unable to accept anyone's help on his quest. And, he told him about the KC EVRC; where Mizuchi had laid a trap for him and his friends, and had her apostles convert them all. And somehow, somehow, he'd become a tool to Asuka's conversion. He challenged Mizuchi to get everyone back, and failed. And all the while, the Dark and the Light continued their battle, unceasing in their struggle.

"So yeah, that's what's happened since you went into that coma. So, what do you think Kouyou? What should I do now? I mean, would it really be such a bad thing if I were to join the Association of Light and be with everyone again?" Kouyou took off his glasses, and began rubbing them with a cloth.

"What would you say Judai, if I told you that the 'Light' isn't just photons and radiation? What if I were to tell you that the Light is alive, conscious, and wants' to destroy us all? What if I were to tell you this is just the latest chapter in an ongoing cosmic struggle between the Light and the Dark for the shape of the entire universe? And what if I were to tell you that you were the destined chosen one who will gather the powers of darkness and save all existence from being destroyed by the Light of Obliteration? What would you think of all that?"

"That..." Judai paused, but the inviting look on Kouyou's face beckoned him to give his honest answer. "Well, that sounds like something out of an anime for little kids." Kouyou's smile grew wide with a mirthful laughter, and he put his glasses back on.

"Yeah, it would be nice if things were as simplistic as that, wouldn't it Judai? The brave hero fights against evil in a black & white battle without ambiguity, knowing that all he needs is his determination to win." Kouyou looked back at the writhing cloud of Darkness and Light. "Unfortunately, it's all just a metaphor. It's just people all the way down Judai; no matter how many horns or claws or tentacles the monster might have, it has a human as its source. Daitokuji's creation was born of humans, the same as the Millennium Items and the monsters they spawned. And the Light...well, you want to know what you should do? Well, look at it like this; the members of the Association of Light have been elevated, given strength, confidence and an assurance in their own place in the world. In return, they follow Takuma and Mizuchi with a devotion that in and of itself can only be admired. So you tell me Judai, is there anything wrong with that picture? What's wrong with what Takuma and Mizuchi are trying to do?"

"Well..." Judai focused, really focused. "Why should..." Judai felt his strength returning. "Why should Takuma and Mizuchi get to say what the future is? They're just people like everyone else. I mean, it's one thing to offer guidance and support the way you and Midori and Professor Chronos and Principal Samejima did, but Takuma and Mizuchi are making the decisions for everyone, and that's not right! And Asuka..." Judai firmed his grip, his resolve. "Takuma and Mizuchi together tried their damndest to make her one of theirs, and they made me complicit in their scheme. I don't know how, but they did, and I won't rest until I figure out how they did it and I can fix this mess. Kouyou, that's what this is about. For whatever reason Takuma and Mizuchi are trying to take control, they're trying to deny us our freedom, and it doesn't matter how much power and confidence they hand out, it doesn't mean anything if you lose your own dreams and hopes. Thanks Kouyou, you've really helped me out, like you always do." Kouyou smiled and gave Judai a pat on the back.

"Hey, you've done a great job so far, you definitely deserve that red coat of yours. And I know you can do this too; after all, even if it was only for one duel, you were able to finish my deck, and that was more then I could do. Now, before you head on back, I just have one last thing I want to say Judai; make sure to keep your spirit up, and remind everyone what the duel is for."

"Sure thing Kouyou." Judai said as he wiped the tears from his eyes, knowing his time with his 'brother' was coming to an end. "I'll do my best with the legacy you've left to me."

Kouyou nodded, and then turned back to the twisting whirlpool of Light and Dark. He raised his arms, and a towering ashen figure of stone and fire appeared. The figure reached into that whirlpool and parted it, holding the roiling forces at bay. Judai ran through that gap and back into consciousness. Kouyou vanished a few moments after that.

* * *

"Judai, you're awake!" Judai awoke in a familiar environment, Nurse Ayukawa's office, with Nurse Ayukawa standing over him. "You stay right there, I'll call everyone in." Judai sat up in his bed, feeling somewhat sore. He looked over to the next bed over, and saw Principal Samejima on top of it, her form silent and still. At the least she was still breathing, but the fact that she was unconscious gave Judai cause for considerable concern despite the aura of strength she still projected.

"Nurse Ayukawa, what happened to Principal Samejima? Who's in charge of Duel Academia?" Nurse Ayukawa finished entering the summons to the others, and turned to Judai, a sorrowful look on her face.

"I'm sorry Judai, but while you were gone a lot has happened. Takuma Saiou challenged Principal Samejima for control of Duel Academia, and won. I think he tried to convert her the way he did with the other members of the Association of Light, but something must have gone wrong. When Samejima recovers, we'll know more for sure." Nurse Ayukawa then walked back up to him, and began to look him in the eye. "Well, I'm not seeing any signs of the Light in you anymore, so we're okay. I suppose constantly surrounding myself in all these occult happenings means I'm beginning to learn a thing or two. Will wonders ever cease?" Ayukawa said with a nervous laugh, clearly trying to raise her own spirits. At that moment, the door to the nurses' office opened, and Rei ran in first, followed by Edo and Momiji.

"Judai!" Rei rushed up to Judai and gave him a quick hug, so quick that Judai was honestly surprised that she didn't hold on longer. "Thank goodness you're back, now we can begin planning our counterattack."

"Counterattack?" Judai looked over to Edo and Momiji. Edo looked away as he spoke, as though he himself could not believe what he was about to say.

"Saiou has sealed himself up for the time being, and not even I can see him right now." Momiji then looked down at his watch, and raised his voice.

"Judai, you're about to see what's been going on since you've been under." Momiji then turned on the monitor, showing a duel that was about to begin between Asuka Tenjouin and a high ranking Pro Duellist, Minato Kushina.


	26. Chapter 26

Radiance of the Light, Reach of the Association

"Judgment." The solid vision image of Takuma Saiou, Principal of Duel Academia and head of the Association of Light, said to the full audience in attendance. Professor Midori sat beneath a woman who projected an aura of indistinctness despite being Takuma's sister, Mizuchi. Midori watched over the proceedings, keeping still her tongue and waiting for the time to strike. Saiou then resumed speaking. "That is the sign that presides over this match between our Asuka and her opponent, second rank professional duellist Minato Kushina." The black haired man, dressed in a black suit, stood over Asuka, his form contrasting against her blond hair and pale blue uniform, marked now by the white armband that adorned all members of the Association of Light. Most of all though, it was the eyes that drew all attention, and while Minato's eyes were dark and full of passion, Asuka's were bright, yet almost bored with it all. "This duel," Saiou continued, "shall be the culmination of our work in the Association of Light. Asuka's imminent victory shall finalize our future, of all peoples everywhere standing before the light, their souls cleansed of all darkness. It has been a long and hard road, my followers, but rejoices, for your faith, your trust, your belief in your power uncompromised, has seen you through your trials to this crossroad." The solid vision image of Saiou then turned to the black haired Minato. "Tell me Minato, are you still confident in your power to defy your fate and overcome Asuka?"

Minato smirked. "While I wasn't there at the KC EVRC, several of my peers were, and while they were definitely changed by the experience, I have to say that what they told me wasn't very impressive." He then turned to face Asuka, looking her directly in the eye. "And you can forget trying to intimidate me with those freaky contact lenses; all this white nonsense has no meaning to me. True strength is only ever obtained by crawling through the dirt and letting yourself become soiled by the toil of the real world. In short, overcoming your lily-white purity will not only be easy, it'll be my pleasure."

"Well," Asuka said, her voice carrying a light breeze of frigid ice, "it seems that you suffer from an excess of pride. By the sign of Judgment under which I dwell, I shall reveal to you your true self and make you worthy of dwelling in the world of the Light. Take the first move, if you will, Minato." Asuka's face held an even smile that held no sympathy or joy for her opponent. He returned the favour with a similar such smile. The solid vision image of Saiou vanished as the two duellists armed their duel discs.

"As you wish, but you'll soon regret that; I summon Masked Dragon in defence mode, and then I set three cards to end my turn." The red dragon with the thick, mask-like skull wrapped its wings about itself, crouching low to the ground.

"Is that all? There's another duellist in the Association of Light who also makes use of the Masked Dragons. I outrank him considerably." Manjoume watched without worry or concern; after all, what she said was true, as revealed by the Light, so who was he to try and defy the truth? "I'll begin by playing my field spell card, Final Absolute Ice Barrier." A gripping potential of cold established itself on the field, just as a filmy, grungy darkness wrapped itself around Asuka.

"My trap card, Curse of Darkness; whenever you activate a spell card, you'll take one thousand points of damage. You better hope your field spell cards effect is worth it, because you won't be using very many spells after that. "

"And now I summon Cold Enchanter onto the field." Asuka said, unaffected as the darkness fell away. As the spellcaster of ice appeared, her legs became encased in ice. "In accordance with Final Absolute Ice Barrier, whenever a monster is summoned an ice counter is placed on that monster, and with Cold Enchanter's effect that Ice Counter gives her nineteen hundred attack points. Now, I discard a card from my hand to activate Cold Enchanter's effect to place an Ice Counter on your monster." When the ice formed over Masked Dragon, it formed both within and without, crippling the monster. "Now, since your monster was not a Water Attribute to begin with, Final Absolute Ice Barrier has a very interesting effect on it; not only does it lose five hundred attack and defence, but my monster can penetrate your monster's defence, and the second ice counter on the field gives my Cold Enchanter another three hundred attack points. Cold Enchanter, attack."

It was now clear to see that the ice gave Cold Enchanter firm grounding, allowing her to draw upon greater power, just as the ice around the Masked Dragon betrayed it. As the sixteen hundred points of damage washed over Minato, he felt himself wavering despite himself; the damage, considerable though it was, changed nothing of his strategy. So why did he feel as though the cold was real, breaking away all the signs of his efforts? It was nothing; he reminded himself, just an illusion by a bunch of cultists.

"By Masked Dragon's effect, I special summon a dragon with fifteen hundred attack power or less from my deck, so behold the beginning of the end in the form of the Armed Dragon Level Three!" A rather cutesy looking dragon appeared, its head looking most weighty indeed. "And with this summon, I activate Level Copy to special summon another Armed Dragon Level Three from my deck." An energy field covered the first dragon and became the second. But only moments after they appeared, the crippling ice took them as well. Even so, the silent murmuring of the crowd could be felt all across the arena. Armed Dragons, exceptionally rare, but terribly powerful if used right.

"Well, at the least you are a worthy opponent. But then, you would have to be; if I were to crush an incompetent, it would mean nothing for the future of the Association of Light. I set two cards, and end my turn." At that moment, a change began to overtake the Armed Dragons.

"In my standby phase, Armed Dragon Level Three can be sacrificed to special summon Armed Dragon Level Five." The once cute little dragons became huge, vicious, and red, their bodies lined with spiky scales, powerful despite the ice running through them. "But I have no intention of stopping there. No, I activate my third card, Level Evolution; by discarding two cards from my hand, I sacrifice my Armed Dragons Level Five to special summon two Armed Dragons Level Seven from my deck! Behold the penultimate power of my deck! A speed and strength that holds no mercy!" The Armed Dragons grew a terrible armour that enhanced their strength, and momentarily broke away the ice, but it returned all the same, weakening them while raising Cold Enchanter's strength above theirs. "And now to finish it; I discard Despair from the Dark from my hand and activate Armed Dragon Level Seven's effect to destroy your Cold Enchanter!" The Armed Dragon gathered a terrible ball of energy in its hand, and raced forward to drive it down Cold Enchanter's body.

Just then, the ice around Cold Enchanter's body shattered and encased itself about the Armed Dragon's energy, dispersing it. "Trap Card, Vision of Frozen Truth; by removing an Ice Counter from a monster I control, I negate your monster's effect, and then I add a Water monster of my choice from my deck to my hand."

"But at the same time, your monster is now weak enough for me to destroy by battle; continue the offensive!" The Armed Dragon resumed the attack, this time forgoing the gathering of energy and just attacking with its heavily armoured fist. But before the blow could connect, a blizzard delayed the attack.

"Trap Card, Blizzard Curtain, allowing me to switch my monster to defence mode, and when destroyed I can place an Ice Counter upon the offending monster." The Armed Dragon struck through the ice, but after the demise of Cold Enchanter the blizzard clung to its arm, weighing it down and making it useless. The other dragon attacked, and while weakened by the ice it was still devastating, leaving Asuka with only 700 life points left.

"Heh, even with this ice gripping their bodies, the burning souls of my dragons will forge through and not be denied! Asuka, your frozen will shall not prevail over the soul tempered by the hardships of true effort! I end my turn."

"Blustering." Minato stepped back in shock.

"What are you talking about?" Asuka smiled.

"Even though you have the surface seeming of the advantage, you are in fact terrified of my power, of the power of the Association of Light. Despite all your proclamations, you have no confidence in this power of yours, and why? Because you have only the vaguest conception of your own limitations; without knowing your boundaries, you fear crossing them unwittingly, and thus dooming yourself. This, is the Judgment that I proclaim upon your duel. I set one card and end my turn; dare you to advance, and try to defy my proclamation? Or will you hesitate, knowing your place?"

"As though I'd believe your words over my own conviction! I will not fall for this bluff, and attack you directly!" The Armed Dragons began their attack, rushing towards Asuka with great haste.

"Trap card activate, Crippling Grip of Ice!" Claws of ice emerged from the ice running through the bodies of the dragons. The reached around and forced the dragons down, their heads low in a bowing position, a position of humility. "All monsters with Ice Counters on them are switched to defence mode, and for every monster so switched, I can draw one card. Incidentally, a monster that has an Ice Counter on it can't change position. In short, your monsters are just waiting to die and take you with them. A point I will demonstrate by summoning Cyber Ice Valkyrie, who gains four hundred attack points from the Cold Enchanter and the Ice Queen in my grave, raising her attack power to seventeen hundred points. Cyber Ice Valkyrie, attack the Armed Dragon Level Seven that has two Ice Counters upon it."

Cyber Ice Valkyrie leaped forward and grabbed Armed Dragon Level Seven by its frozen arm and swung it around as though it had the mass of a feather, striking Minato across the body for 1700 points of damage, bringing both duellists to the same life point total. "Now, I'll set one card, and end my turn."

"Is, is that all? And I was worried that I might have to be worried!" The desperation on Minato's face was clear, his will most uncertain after that last attack. But he would not be swayed; this cult would not have its way with him! "Now, it is time for me to prove that you're nothing! I sacrifice my Armed Dragon Level Seven, and special summon from my hand Armed Dragon Level Ten, bypassing your restriction!" The dragon's armour grew more elaborate, the jaws and claws more pronounced, but the ice imperilled it all the same. "Now, by discarding any one card from my hand, Armed Dragon can destroy all your monsters on the field! Perish, Cyber Ice Valkyrie!" The Armed Dragon Level Ten howled, and the concussive force of its breath destroyed Cyber Ice Valkyrie. But as it perished, the ice that had encased its upper arms leaped forth, pinning the Armed Dragon Level Ten down in place.

"My final trap card, Resonance of Ice, which I activated upon the destruction of my monster; on this turn, your monster can't attack, and I recover five hundred life points for every Ice Counter on the field. Only five hundred all together, but it will be more than enough to finish this."

"What are you talking about...!" Minato then remembered his Curse of Darkness Trap that was still on the field; he realized then that without it, Asuka would have crushed him long ago, and now that she could weather one more spell... "I end my turn."

Asuka drew her next card, and then suddenly stopped. She stared at it, as though she didn't recognize it, as though it held a power over her. Then the cheers of the Association of Light reached her, and she moved on.

"I now play the spell card, Icicle Sacrifice; I give up one monster zone to special summon an Icicle token, which can be used as two sacrifices for the summon of a water monster. Furthermore, Ice Master can be special summoned by the sacrifice of two water attribute monsters. Therefore, by sacrificing Icicle Token, I can special summon Ice Master from my hand! Now, for my normal summon I summon Illusion Ice Sculpture, who gains the same attack and defence power as Ice Master on my field." A vaguely demonic ice sculpture shimmered momentarily before becoming a second Ice Master. "Now, I activate the effect of the original Ice Master, and place a second Ice Counter upon your Armed Dragon Level Ten, reducing its attack power to two thousand. Now, to end this, and fulfill my mission for the Association of Light." As the two Ice Masters attacked, it was as though a tremendous wave of light was released, knocking Minato down on his back.

"I see it now!" Minato exclaimed, now upon his knees. "My foolish pride has come to an end! I will now dedicate my works, to the Association of Light and the future it seeks to create!"

* * *

"And thus concludes the duel of fate." The solid vision image of Saiou said on the screen that Judai, Momiji, Rei, Edo, and Head Nurse Ayukawa were watching. "With this, the reach of our Association grows yet again, and now there is no force left that can stop us. Rejoice, the time of our victory is nigh!"

"Guys, did you see that?" Judai cried out in desperation. "The spirit of Kuriboh, it tried to reach out to Asuka, but it couldn't get to her on its own. Whoa!" Judai suddenly shifted back in his seat, as though something just flew into him. "Hey, relax little guy, we'll get Asuka back, you don't have to worry. Here, play with Winged Kuriboh for now, the guys and I will figure something out." He then looked over at the others, and found them all just staring at him, even Ayukawa. "Right, I forgot I was the only one here who could see spirits. Well, Edo, it really looks like things have been getting pretty dire while I was out of it."

"Heh, you don't know the half of it; there are reports from all over the world of people joining the Association of Light, and proselytising to as many as they can, and it doesn't help matters much that all the pros who participated in the KC EVRC are now card carrying members and are doing their level best to spread the faith. And with that last duel, it seems like some sort of breaking point was achieved."

"Edo is right," Momiji said as he turned the screen off. "It's just like the theories that Saiou talked about while he still taught his classes; he's created a power that can no longer be stopped from spreading throughout society. From this day forward, the Association will grow inevitably until it has claimed everyone, at which point the future of humanity and the future that Saiou desires become one and the same."

"Judai," Rei said with her eyes firm and resolute. "I may not have gone on any sort of spiritual journey or anything, but that didn't stop me from doing a lot of soul searching. You know that what Saiou and his followers are doing is wrong, right? No matter how shiny and bright and happy they try to make it look, mind control is mind control, and there's no other way to look at it. And besides, my cousin Tarou got caught up in this madness, and I won't rest until I get some answers! Are you with me Judai, because you better be!"

"Yes, yes, don't worry Rei; we're all on the same page here."

"A splendid declaration indeed from Duel Academia's most notorious dropout boy!" Judai and the others turned back to the screen, and found that Ayukawa had connected them with the Obelisk Blue dorm, where Professor Chronos and a small gathering of students of all dorms stood behind him. "With your recovery from the depredations of the Light, we can now be certain that it is possible to rescue our wayward students. After Momiji finishes his final infiltration, we'll begin our counterattack! Professor Chronos De Medici out." The screen turned itself off in response to Professor Chronos closing the circuit. Momiji responded just as Judai turned to him.

"It's a long story that I don't feel like going into, but suffice to say that I'm able to pass as a member of the Association of Light, and I've been gathering all the information that I can about their movements and plans. I've been able to find out about most everyone, but I need one more night to find out where the hidden apostles and Mizuchi are located. I should get moving, they think I'm spying for them on you Judai, and it would be suspicious if I didn't inform everyone of the moment of your recovery. Don't bother wishing me luck, I don't need it." At which point Momiji departed, wrapping the white armband of the Association of Light around his arm.

"Huh," Judai said, looking quizzically at the door through which Momiji departed. "Something seemed a little off about him. I can't put my finger on it."

"It's Misawa." Rei said with a strong undercurrent of understanding in her voice. "Momiji blames himself for what happened to Misawa, and while he'd never admit it, he feels really strongly about him. I just hope his heart doesn't get hurt any more than it already has."


	27. Chapter 27

Souls Reaching Out Through Life and Death

"That's wonderful news Misawa!" Sayuri Watanabe held her hands clasped before her chest as she spoke to Misawa, her eyes glowing with pride. "You've managed to convert four more students to the Association of Light today, that's very impressive." Misawa returned Sayuri's joy with his own unabashed grin.

"Indeed. Those four, Megumi, Masami, Yoshi, and Yamato, Obelisk Blue one and all, were very stubborn and had resisted our efforts time and again. But some simple research and I saw the means to defeat them all. If only you'd been there Sayuri, you would have heard the cheers of the crowd as I did what no one else could. And the look in the eyes of the converted, those were especially bright. Sayuri, thank you for rescuing me from the darkness; without you, I would never have known this joy." Sayuri's smile became wan, and she embraced Misawa.

"No Misawa, thank you; you've given me my second chance, and your joy is my happiness." She then let go of him. "Now run along Misawa, you still have a lot of work to do, and very little time to do it in."

"Of course Sayuri, I would never let you down." Misawa then bowed before her, and departed from the Osiris Red dorm back to the Ra Yellow dorm. Sayuri stood alone, a wistful expression on her face, until she was interrupted by a new arrival.

"Must you insist on coddling him?" Yumi Ayame said with her characteristic acerbic tone to Sayuri Watanabe, who steadfastly refused to respond or acknowledge in turn. "Do you really think that if you had spent more time praising him, showering him with yet more and more affection, that things would have worked out differently back then?" Yumi stepped forward into Sayuri's personal space. "Accept your loss; it's the natural thing to do, the easy thing to do." Sayuri glared down at Yumi, as though attempting to move her through force of will alone.

"That you've given up on your dreams is no reason for me to do the same. My...he is reborn to me, and I will not childishly toss away this opportunity granted to me by fate. Yumi, just because you are frustrated by the test that our Lady Mizuchi put you through at the KC EVRC, does not give you cause to take it out on me."

"I'm afraid that that isn't true." Both apostles turned to the mirror in the room, where their leader, guardian, saviour now stood. They bowed down before her image in supplication. "I apologize for not speaking on this matter any sooner, but I have been in intense meditation for some time, attempting to discern what it was that happened when you duelled Momiji, Yumi." Yumi raised her head, her eyes conveying her befuddled surprise.

"What happened? Do you mean that you didn't have me duel someone already taken by the light as a test?" Mizuchi put out her arms as though to put them on Yumi's and Sayuri's shoulders, and while only an image, the meaning of it was more than enough for her apostles.

"Of course not; I'd never do anything as childish as that. You, all of you, you have endured your fates to find me, and I would never betray your trust in me in such a manner. Sayuri, I know that you've recovered much of the happiness that you thought lost forever, but do not be so disdainful towards Yumi, who still seeks her own. Yumi, you deserve to understand what had happened with Momiji. Please, sit down. Sayuri, this concerns you too, so please stay." The three women sat down, cross-legged. "Momiji and Misawa will be duelling very shortly, and at that time fate will take another turn. Unfortunately, since both duellists are aligned with the Light, yet are at cross purposes, neither I nor my brother can foresee the outcome." Sayuri narrowed her eyes, her fists clenched in anger.

"Are you telling me that that Momiji brat will still try to steal what rightfully belongs to Misawa, even though he should see how wrong that is? Please, Lady Mizuchi, please allow me to destroy that brat, so that I may continue to fulfill my duty and guide and support Misawa."

"No, Sayuri, I can't allow that. I anticipated that you would desire such an action, and foresaw that it would bring ruin to Misawa." Sayuri's eyes became wide with shock and acceptance. Her fists became unclenched.

"So then, I can only wait, and hope?" Mizuchi nodded, and then turned her attention back to Yumi.

"Yumi, Momiji is someone that my brother and I knew long ago, and in our foolishness we afflicted...him with a fragment of the Light, an incomplete enlightenment that traps him in limbo; it gives him power against us, but it also brings power against him, isolating him from those that it should have brought to him. Misawa, who has embraced the power of the Light most absolutely and all it brings him, is the only one who can complete Momiji's journey to the Light and correct the mistake that was made so long ago. Yumi, know that this is the natural path of fate and nothing else, else I would have chosen differently."

Both apostles nodded their heads and stood before Mizuchi, speaking as one.

"Thank you so much Mizuchi, you who walks the shadows to bring the Light to us." Mizuchi then vanished from the mirror, and the two Apostles departed, intent on furthering their own duties to their savior and further the aims of the Association of Light.

* * *

"So Momiji," Misawa said to Momiji in the depths of the Ra Yellow dorm, Momiji seated before a computer, an eager grin splitting Misawa's face. "How much longer do you plan on taking advantage of our generosity?" Momiji swiftly turned around in his seat to face Misawa, who continued to speak. "Before, I could never imagine what could drive a creature like you, but now that I walk in the Light, I see plainly that you are a petty and jealous little creature that has always intended on stealing what is mine from me."

"Misawa!" Momiji called out with a force that surprised even him, though not even fazing Misawa in the slightest. "I know that you aren't yourself right now, but even so, can't you see how nonsensical the things you're saying are? For a long time now I've been a wallflower, staying out of view, out of the lime light. It wasn't until you began to encourage me to show myself to the world that that began to change." Misawa laughed a deep hearty sound.

"I know, and that makes it my foolish mistake that very nearly endangered the destiny that I deserved. But still, with the wisdom that I've achieved, I can do more than correct this mistake of mine; I can also fix your stubbornness, and complete your ascent into the Light! You see Momiji, back at the Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge, the reach of the Light was concentrated in a few choice spots, points of Light in a Sea of Darkness, if you will. In those conditions, you were able to manipulate the Light within you against itself, denying your own conversion. But here, in the very center of the Association of Light, surrounded by the many souls that have accepted the Light into their lives, your stolen fragment can't help you defy fate any further. Well Momiji? Shall you surrender now, or will you waste my time and yours with a pathetic effort to defeat me? After all, you couldn't defeat me before, and with my soul unclouded by any darkness, my foreseen victory is plain to see, even for the likes of you."

Momiji stood up from his seat, and armed his duel disc. "No Misawa, I will not surrender. Right now, you think you know everything that there is for you to know, that the Light has given you everything you could ever ask for, but I'm going to prove to you that the Light only shows you what it wants you to see, and I will prove my conviction in this duel for you, my friend!"

"Very well, if that's how you want to do this, then I shall follow the predetermined victory that the Light has revealed to me." Misawa took a few steps back and armed his duel disc. "Why don't you go first, oh foolish pride filled challenger to the glory of the Light?"

"Very well then; I start by summoning Evil Thorn, and then I sacrifice it for its effect, dealing three hundred damage and special summoning two more from my deck in attack mode. Next, I play Fragrance Storm and destroy one Evil Thorn to draw one card, and since that card is a plant monster, I can show it to you to draw another card." Momiji turned over the Prickle Fairy in his hand as he drew another card. "Now, I play Super Solar Nutrient to sacrifice my level one Evil Thorn to special summon a level four plant monster from my deck to the field. Behold, Botanical Lion, who gains three hundred attack points for every plant monster on the field, so by itself it has nineteen hundred attack points." As the second Evil Thorn decayed away, a brilliant sun appeared above the remains, and a new plant grew in its place, roaring like the lion it resembled. "Now I set one card, and end my turn." Momiji looked at the cards in his hand, particularly at the Deep Forest field spell card in his hand; while he could have played it and doubled his defences against Misawa; he knew that if he played it, it would play right into Misawa's hands.

"Ah, how cute, so very reminiscent of our first duel. Let me show you a little trick I've picked up while you've been skulking and plotting like a petty little thief. I begin by playing White Death Exchange; I discard a zombie monster from my hand, and then add a monster of equal or lower level from my deck. Therefore, I shall discard Mezuki to add Gozuki to my hand, and then summon it to the field to activate its effect to send Akaoni from my deck to the grave. Thus, I can now remove Mezuki in the grave from play to special summon Akaoni to the field, and in anticipation of that I activate Everliving Underworld Cannon!" The ox-headed demon was now joined by the blood red ogre, his fangs bared with bloodlust in mind. A construct of bones and skulls appeared behind them, and with a wailing moan it fired a screaming skull spirit at Momiji for eight hundred points of damage. "Now that's how you do it, Momiji. Akaoni, attack Botanical Lion!"

"Trap card activate, Buried Thorns!" The Evil Thorn sprouted before the Akaoni, taking the blow for Botanical Lion.

"Indeed." Misawa said, stroking his chin. "I would have thought that you would have tried to avoid such an obvious tactic, but it would seem that the Light never can err. Boring in a way, I suppose, but reassuring. I set one card, and end my turn. Now, tell me Momiji, have you begun to realize what separates the two of us? Have you begun to perceive the wisdom I've been granted? Tell me Momiji, have you begun to grasp the extent of your own foolishness?"

"Foolishness? Misawa, it's a little early for you to be so presumptuous, don't you think? I play Field Exchange, allowing me to discard a Field Spell card in my hand to add another Field Spell card from my deck to my hand and then draw one more card. With this, I discard Deep Forest to add United Forest and draw one card. Next, I summon Arsenal Bug to the field." A sort of fly armed with sword, shield, and horns appeared. "When there are no other insects on the field other than this one, Arsenal Bug's attack power is cut in half to one thousand, which is why I now play United Forest." A strange series of trees erupted from the ground, the bark and branches lined by countless insects, offering no place to hide. "In this field, all insects and plants on the field also count as the other type, and my monsters now gain four hundred attack points for every plant or insect on the field." Botanical Lion dug its roots deep into the ground as its claws became huge chit nous things for 3000 attack points, while Arsenal Bug grew leaves across its body that nourished it, hardening its shell for 2800. "Botanical Lion and Arsenal Bug, attack Misawa's undead monsters!" Botanical Lion pounced upon Akaoni and raked it with its claws for 200 points of damage, while Arsenal Bug disarmed Gozuki of its hammer before lopping its head off for 1100 damage. "I now set one card to end my turn."

"No, I will end your turn!" A blinding flash of light enveloped the field, blotting out Super Solar Nutrient and Buried Thorns as the laughter of screaming skulls echoed. "During the end phase of a turn when my zombie monsters are destroyed, I can activate White of Mourning; for every monster destroyed and sent to the grave, I can destroy one spell or trap on your side of the field and deal four hundred points of damage." The screaming of the skulls reached its zenith and the light exploded, tearing apart Super Solar Nutrient and Buried Thorns, and without the light of Super Solar Nutrient, Botanical Lion rotted away, leaving Arsenal Bug alone. "Now, for my turn I summon Unmei Shutendoji!"

A horned demon carrying a large bottle of Sake labelled with the Kanji for Unmei, destiny, appeared. It seemed to revel in its own existence, roaring joyously as it drank down the Sake without end. "I now activate the effect of Unmei Shutendoji, and send Kasha from my hand to the grave to special summon Akaoni back from the grave in attack mode." Unmei Shutendoji poured the Sake onto the ground, and as it pooled there, cracks formed, creating a means of escape for the once slain red ogre as it erupted from the ground below, waving its club with reckless abandon as the Everliving Underworld Cannon fired another shot at Momiji. A cocoon then fell off one of the trees of the United Forest, and a chit nous form began to claw its way out. "What is this, another sad effort to ride on my coattails?" Misawa said with a smirk.

"My trap card Ancient Secret allows me to special summon an insect monster from my deck to the field in attack mode when you special summon a monster to the field." Ultimate Insect Level Five tore its way out of the cocoon, ready for battle. A bark-like growth emerged along its thorax, empowering it alongside Arsenal Bug; In the United Forest the Ultimate Insect achieved an attack power of 3100 while the Arsenal Bug was restored to its earlier 2800. "I will not stand down against you Misawa, I will draw upon everything that I am, that I truly am, and I will have the real you return to us, to me."

"The real me?" Misawa erupted with laughter. "Open your eyes to the Light, you blind little thief! There is nothing in the least bit in genuine about me as I am this very moment! I've had to hide behind a veil of doubt and insecurity all my life, trying to act like my motives are anything other then what they are. But now I can take pride in my knowledge and wisdom, and bask in the admiration of my peers for it! I equip Akaoni with Curse of Wisdom, and remove Gozuki in the grave from play to add half its attack power to Akaoni, and when he does battle damage I can destroy one spell or trap card you control." The Red Ogre roared as it absorbed the knowledge and experience of the Ox-headed demon, destroying its soul, raising its attack power to 3650. "Now, let's try this all again; Akaoni and Unmei Shutendoji, attack those worthless insects!" Akaoni crushed Ultimate Insect Level Five beneath its heel while Unmei Shutendoji boiled Arsenal Bug alive with its fiery breath, reducing Momiji's life points to exactly 800. The United Forest rotted away at an aggressive pace, a supernatural plague claiming its life. "Now, understand this Momiji; next turn I can send Unmei Shutendoji to the grave to resurrect a monster, or I can discard a card to bring Unmei Shutendoji back to the field from the grave. In either event, your defeat is sealed, it is inevitable, it is pre-destined! Just accept your loss, and move on!"

"Move on?" Momiji found himself wavering, but he found an island of resolve to stand on. "Move on the way you did from your dream? What happened to using your duel to protect those who are close to you? Or are you so egocentric now that you can't even imagine putting yourself into such a vulnerable position?"

"Protect others?" Misawa's eyes grew wide, but he swiftly narrowed them. "What are you talking about? My pride and the admiration of others are what I need, not the dependency of others; protecting others will be unnecessary in the new world of the Light, all will be able to defend themselves, so long as they follow the wisdom set forth by Master Saiou!"

"Ah, so now the first veil is pulled away. You admit then that Saiou has taken over your life, that all your supposed new found strength and control over your life isn't really yours. Since you can't deny that much, I know that I can reach you my friend. I play Renewal of Life; I remove from play two plants and two insects on my field or in my grave to draw four cards and discard two." Two Evil Thorns, an Arsenal Bug, and an Ultimate Insect Level Five appeared in a phantasmal capacity for a moment, before vanishing to become new flowerbeds, each representing new cards in Momiji's hand. Momiji returned two of those lives to the grave, and then showed a wan smile to Misawa. "Next I summon Prickle Fairy in defence mode, and then I play the spell card Partnership of the Cycle; when I have a plant on the field, I can special summon an insect monster from my hand, and I bring out Ultimate Insect Level Seven. Next, I equip Ultimate Insect Level Seven with two cards; Refined Existence, when it destroys your monster you take damage equal to that monster's attack power, and Defining Power, which raises Ultimate Insect's attack power by one thousand when it attacks a monster of a different type from its own." As the Ultimate Insect flapped its wings to build up wind, rising up into the air, Misawa's eyes became wide with shock.

"No, this is not the future revealed by the Light! This duel is invalid! I will not allow you to steal what is mine! My pride is my own and nobody else's!" Before Misawa could disarm his Duel Disc and surrender the game, Ultimate Insect Level Seven descended upon Akaoni, and the resultant clash not only destroyed Akaoni and reduced Misawa's life points to zero, but it also released a tremendous wave of Light throughout the Ra Yellow dorm. Despite himself Misawa braced himself against that overwhelming light, and when he found that he could see through it, what he saw baffled him; it was Momiji, but...not Momiji. In the Light all covers were unveiled, and as Misawa watched Momiji, he saw that his opponent's body was in one moment male, and in the next female. "I...I don't understand. But...that can't be right, the Light made everything clear to me. What, what are you Momiji?!"

"I never meant to lie to you or hide anything from you, Misawa." Momiji spoke in a soft and calm voice that carried through the light effortlessly. "The truth is complicated, but while I may be biologically female, I can assure you that in both brain chemistry and soul I am in fact male. I suppose that this temporary dual existence confounded the Light's efforts to embrace me when I was young, and again at the tournament, but that is beside the important point."

"Beside the important point!? Momiji, this...this changes everything!" Misawa made his way towards Momiji, and found that he was similarly uncovered. He didn't let it distract him.

"Perhaps after this battle is over it may, but right now you have to understand something; I remember Misawa. I remember when I first met Takuma and his sister, why I was able to grasp his lessons so easily and why he acted the way he did around me." Momiji then explained about the incident in the forest, of the fortune Takuma told and what happened afterwards. "When I woke up, Takuma and Mizuchi were long gone, and when my parents asked me what had happened, I couldn't say, I didn't remember. For a long time after that I felt confused and out of sorts. I felt more and more at comfort in the forest, where the teeming life flourished, but there was something more that I was seeing then I could see before. It was as though I were connecting to some spirit of the earth, and I'm sure of it now, it guided me here, to this place and time. And following my duel with Yumi, the Apostle of Fire, my understanding began to become clear, and that process was finished with this duel. Misawa, I understand now not just what it is that Saiou is doing, but how he's doing it, and how we can stop him. We need to tell all the others as quickly as we can. Misawa, can I count on you my friend? My dear friend?" In that moment, the Wave of Light passed, leaving both duellists standing in their uniforms once more. The shine that drowned out Misawa's eyes was gone now, and he looked upon Momiji with a newfound appreciation.

"Well, it seems like I was acting The Fool instead of The Hierophant. Now, I'll admit I've not done that much reading, but from what you told me of your fortune, things are adding up quite nicely; Temperance is about balance, which I'm going to say is about your inner nature as male on the one hand and your surface seeming as female on the other. Death is the transition, marked by your coma when the fortune was made, and The Moon is both illusion and illumination. Yes, it seems that Saiou had unwittingly given us a powerful piece of knowledge all those years ago. Yes Momiji, you can count on me, and together with the others, we will rescue our friends." Momiji and Misawa then shook hands, both feeling more of each other then the mere physical presence of their bodies; their souls, however briefly, joined. They then rushed out of the Ra Yellow dorm, hoping to escape before anyone realized what had transpired.


	28. Chapter 28

A Twilight Confrontation, Commoner and Prince Side by Side

"Tarou, do you have a moment?" Tarou Araide put his meditation on hold and turned his head towards Kouta as he closed the door behind him, away from the mirror that he'd been gazing into. "I understand that Rei Saotome is your cousin; tell me, would you regard her as threat to us, or would you regard her as a liability to her friends?" Tarou stood up and grabbed Kouta by the collar. "I ask because Momiji has revealed himself as a double-agent against us, and with Misawa's help it will only be a matter of time before she and the rest of her friends make their attempt against us." Tarou breathed deeply, and then released Kouta from his grip.

"You're right Kouta; it was a perfectly fair question to ask. I just...it seems as though she will make the same mistake that I made, and it scares me. After what I did, it almost broke me...it would have broken me, if not for Mizuchi, and even with my knowledge of the will of the Light, I fear that Rei will be broken beyond repair before she can be brought into the Light." Tarou paused as a flash of memory reasserted itself, the image of a screaming boy, of blood soaked hands and a prize that was no longer worth it. "She has the same drive and determination as my own; it is a reasonable worry for someone in my position." Kouta found himself looking away despite himself.

"Well, I suppose I should be thankful that I have no worries like that at all...that I've never had worries of that nature." Kouta's memories threatened to reassert themselves, but he was swift to make sure that they did not have that chance. "Still, by what you just said, you don't believe that Rei can be made to advance the cause. It's odd; it seems as though only those who've been touched by the Darkness can receive the touch of the Light and survive the experience. Wait...that's right, Momiji, he's one of the ones who breaks the rules, along with Judai and Asuka. Hmm, Asuka, what a curious direction for my thoughts to take. As I understand it, you were unable to defeat her back at the KC EVRC, and yet you were able to set up a clever little trap for her, using her and Judai's power against her. Perhaps you could work out a similar such miracle utilizing Momiji's power against Rei in the same manner."

"Your mind is a strange place Kouta." Tarou said with wide eyes. He then narrowed them. "I suppose you have a point though. Tell me, that thought of yours; was that another intimation of the 'invisible powers that be, or was this your own thought on the matter? I ask, because one good turn deserves another." Kouta's face assumed a brief scowl, which he cleared quickly enough. "Not so pleasant when you're made the subject of such prying, is it?" Kouta remained silent; even as he gripped his fist so tight it began to draw blood. Tarou then saw what it was that was happening, saw the way Kouta's eyes rolled inwards, and grabbed Kouta's shoulders. "Kouta!" At that moment Kouta's eyes returned to normal.

"Ah, I'm sorry." Kouta said, his breath ragged as though he'd been running a marathon in his mind. "I'd thought that I'd managed to keep those memories at bay. To think that I would still be vulnerable to them, even in this sanctuary surrounded by the Light." For a moment the two men were silent, and then a light shimmered in the mirror.

"Kouta, Tarou." The image of Mizuchi Saiou appeared in the mirror, and the two men stood before her as though children, scared and uncertain save for the efforts of the one who saved them. "Please do not fear; everything is coming to a head, and the Light shall bring salvation to you. The sins you've committed, and the sins that you've suffered, shall all be washed away and be unseen in the Light of the new world."

* * *

"All right, is everybody ready?" Judai looked over the group assembled in the main hall of the Obelisk Blue Dorm; Rei Saotome, Edo Phoenix, Misawa Daichi, Momiji Todo, Professor Chronos, Professor Hibiki, and a dozen other students whose names he had to consciously remember; Michiyo Saruwatari, a third year Obelisk Blue, Ryouji Sugita a first year Osiris Red, Miharu Watanabe a second year Ra Yellow, Riku Chiba a first year Obelisk Blue, Tsubaki Nakamura a second year Obelisk Blue, Heikichi Iino a third year Ra Yellow, Itoe Gouto a third year Osiris Red, Yusuke Kawazoe a first year Obelisk Blue, Ayumu Yamamura a first year Ra Yellow, Shigure Akimoto a third year Ra Yellow, Asuka Matsuyama a second year Obelisk Blue, and Rei Matsuo a third year Obelisk Blue. It was indeed one of the more curious developments of the takeover by the Association of Light that the Obelisk Blue dorm, once held up as the elite of Duel Academia, was now looked down upon as the remnant of an old era.

Still, Less than twenty all together, they were all that remained to stand against the Association of Light, but that was going to change, and very soon. Thanks, in no small part, to the twentieth member who while not there physically, made her presence known by the case of cards delivered to the Professors at this most opportune time by Miss Tome. Hayako Maeda made good on her promise to help her friends, and as everyone made the last second adjustments to their decks, Judai knew that it would be up to them to fulfill their end of the bargain. "All right everyone, we've all lost friends to the Association of Light, but just as they were stolen from us, we can rescue them right back. Right now Takuma is locked up in his office, and Mizuchi and her Apostles are occupied in their own meeting, which means the only thing that stands between us and our friends again, is ourselves. So long as you can remember who you're fighting for and why, remember who they are on the inside and not when they're being controlled by Saiou, you will emerge victorious. I promise you this, and I stake everything on this belief of mine!"

Everyone cheered in response, and divided up in the pre-arranged matter; Judai, Rei, and Edo in one group, Misawa and Momiji in a second group, and the remaining students following the professors. The ultimate target of this attack was 'The Trinity', the name given to the three highest ranking duellists in the Association of Light; Jun Manjoume, marked under the sign of The Emperor, Asuka Tenjouin, marked under the sign of Judgment, and highest of all, the first and premier member of the Association of Light, Shou Marufuji, marked under the sign of The Magician. According to Momiji's information, the three of them were now present in the main duelling hall, preparing themselves to be ready to receive Takuma Saiou's orders at a moment's notice. Shortly after exiting the Obelisk Blue dorm, the group was intercepted by a patrol of Association duellists. Chronos and his students split off from the group to intercept them. Halfway to Duel Academia proper, another patrol struck, and Professor Midori led her students to face off against them. Finally, upon reaching the entrance, Misawa and Momiji stayed behind to intercept any who came to interfere. All others accounted for; Judai Rei and Edo were able to proceed unobstructed. Or so they thought, until Momoe Hamaguchi and Junko Makita appeared before the final doorway, blocking them from their goal.

"Well Momoe, would you look at that; the three castoffs think they can face off against 'The Trinity'." Momoe and Junko shared the same smile on their faces, the exact same smile.

"Indeed Junko, the mere sight of these three trying to face off against the highest and the strongest in a pathetic effort to defy an already fulfilled fate, it's like a bad joke in bad taste." The two of them laughed as one, their voices sharing the same echoing quality. Judai, Rei, and Edo exchanged quick looks with one another, the plan now dangerously close to derailment.

"Judai, Edo." Rei said, already arming her Duel Disc. "I'll catch up with you two as soon as I can. Let me take care of these drones, I promise I won't be long." Edo gave his response first by arming his Duel Disc, a confident smirk on his face.

"While that's very noble of you Rei, one against two just isn't feasible, so why don't we face off against these two followers together in a Joint Duel?" Edo then turned his head to Judai, dropping all mirth from his face and voice. "Judai, don't worry about us; the sooner we get your friends back, the better, so focus all your will to that end. Hurry!" Edo barked out the last, and Judai dashed past Momoe and Junko.

"How special." Momoe said, a coy look on her face as she drew her hand. "But just because you don't want Judai to witness your failure, doesn't mean it won't come for you. For even when you reject the fate laid out for you, it has a way of finding you, and grasping you within its power. I summon in defence mode Sangan, and end my turn. Go ahead Edo, march against the headwind of destiny, and see how far it gets you."

"Have a little patience Momoe; when you take the time to set things up, you'll find that fate is not something that any outsider can decide for you. I summon Familiar Knight in defence mode, and set one card to end my turn."

"Oh come now," Junko said in an exuberant tone, "surely the great pro who avenged the death of his parents can come up with a better opening strategy then that. For example, something like this; I start by discarding Hecatrice to add Valhalla to my hand, and then I play it, activating its effect to special summon Voltanis the Adjudicator to the field." From out of the hall of the gods flew forth a towering synthetic angel, a body of blue gemstones covered in purple armour, wings floating at the side of its body without connection. Its face was unseen, covered by a faceplate that denied identity. "But I'm not done by far. For my normal summon I bring out Agent of Creation Venus, and activate her effect, paying fifteen hundred life points to special summon three mystical shine balls to the field from my deck." As Junko and Momoe's life points dropped to 6500, a presence like moonlight filled the hall, a reflection of some greater light elsewhere. "And to finish things off, I set two cards to end my turn."

"My turn!" Rei called out with much force. "To begin my turn-!" Junko then raised her arm and interrupted Rei.

"I activate my trap card Solar Ray to deal three thousand points to you and Edo!" Each celestial being under Junko's control began to glow with an even greater light, a burning piercing light that gathered itself together before striking out at Edo and Rei. "How do you like that? The swift and decisive power of the Light cares nothing for your plans and designs; it will reach out and show you where you are meant to be, and put you there."

"Oh yeah?" Rei said, rubbing her shoulder to get the pain out. "You're not the only one who can use the light, and between all of us, your command of it isn't all that impressive. I summon Resonance Guide to the field in defence mode and equip her with Shining Hope" A woman in a pale robe appeared, holding a staff with a cross head that began to glow with a brilliant white light. "With Shining Hope, Resonance Guide has an attack and defence power of two thousand, and every time she destroys a monster by battle, I can draw one card. Now I'll set one card to end my turn." Momoe then narrowed her eyes at her opponents.

"Well, it looks like neither of you could figure it out in time; the way to defeat us I mean. But rather then explain it to you, I shall let the Light reveal to you your inevitable fates! I sacrifice Sangan to summon Legendary Fiend, and since Sangan was sent to the grave, I can add a monster with fifteen hundred attack points or less from my deck to my hand. Therefore, I will claim the card that Lord Saiou provided me with, the very card of my soul, Malicious Deathbringer!" It was as though the very space around Junko's monsters began to warp, twisting about itself until all dimensions were reduced to nothing. The same process also claimed the cards in Momoe's hand and her Legendary Fiend on the field. "By removing from play every monster on my side of the field and in my hand, I can special summon Malicious Deathbringer to the field, and since by the rules of this Joint Duel Momoe's field is part of mine, that brings the total number of sacrifices to eleven." As both demons and angels, light and dark, vanished from being, a twisted writhing presence emerged.

Its limbs were long and spindly, with a thick bony shell encasing them. Its eyes were sunken and deep, almost empty, and from out of its back emerged wings; angelic and demonic, there were eleven all together, not a one able to support the creature, much less enable it to fly. "Now," Momoe said, glowing with pride, "let me explain how this works; Malicious Deathbringer starts off with an attack power of zero, but for every monster removed for its special summon, it gains six hundred attack points, for a total of sixty-six hundred from eleven sacrifices. But that's nothing compared to its real power; by skipping my battle phase, Malicious Deathbringer can destroy all monsters on your side of the field and deal damage equal to one half their total attack power." Junko then raised her arm in exulting joy.

"And now to make things a little worse for you two, I activate my trap card All is White; Once per turn, I can return to my deck a light attribute monster that's been removed from play to special summon two White Beacon tokens to your side of the field, and when they're destroyed, you take five hundred points of damage." Like tiny stars torn from the night sky, the White Beacon tokens conveyed both the sense of power and vulnerability. "Go ahead Momoe, give the command and show these fools how inevitable their defeat is."

"Damn it." Edo looked down at his Negate Attack trap card, now rendered irrelevant by the power of Malicious Deathbringer.

"Don't be so quick to give up Edo," Rei said, the glint of success in her eyes. "I've got a trick up my sleeve too, remember?" Malicious Deathbringer reared back as its wings grew larger and larger. "I activate my trap card, Obliterating Light; when I control a light monster on the field, I can send one card I control to the grave to destroy one card you control, and if the card I send is a spell or trap card, then I can draw two cards afterwards. Therefore, I send Shining Hope to the grave and undo your ace monster!" The light of Resonance Guide's staff separated from it, and became an ornate holy spear, the cross blade glowing beyond even the sun itself. It rushed forth of its own accord, and as it ran through Malicious Deathbringer's heart, it reached out with one decrepit claw, and halted its progress. It then broke the spear in two, causing the light of its being to dissolve.

"Sorry Rei," Momoe said, the glint of success now in her eyes. "But Malicious Deathbringer can only be destroyed in battle, and with sixty-six hundred attack points, that's not likely to happen. Now, Malicious Deathbringer, Reap the Sown!" At that moment, Malicious Deathbringer's wings broke off from its back and merged together to become a towering scythe, and with one fell sweep Edo's and Rei's monsters were destroyed, dealing 2600 points of damage to them. "Now, I end my turn."

"My turn!" Edo called out, and just like before, two more White Beacon tokens appeared on the field that he shared with Rei. "And now I play Heavy Storm, destroying every spell and trap card on the field." His negate attack was lost, but so was Valhalla and All is White. "Now I summon Devoted Faithful One in defence mode, and end my turn."

"Tch, how irrelevant." Junko drew her next card. "Now, Malicious Deathbringer's effect activates; in order to keep it on the field, the controlling player must discard a card during their standby phase to keep it on the field, otherwise it is removed from play. Therefore, I discard Axe of Despair, and next I summon Fallow Angel of Wisdom to the field." A decrepit angel, its wings molting weak, appeared on the field. "When Fallow Angel of Wisdom is destroyed and sent to the grave, I can add any trap card from my grave to my hand. But really, what are the two of you even trying to accomplish with all this pointless resistance? I mean, take a moment to imagine the impossible and say you do win and you 'rescue us' from our glorious position in the Association of Light; what makes you think we won't go right back?"

"Excuse me?" Rei said, one eye raised in disbelief. "Like anything you say right now about your convictions mean anything." Momoe simply shook her own head, the way a mother deals with a particularly dim child.

"Apparently you haven't been paying close attention; doesn't surprise me, considering how much time you've been spending mooning over Judai, rather than explain it to you, let me show you." Rei scowled as Momoe snapped her fingers, and a video screen appeared behind her, displaying the ongoing battle between Chronos De Medici and the students he led and the Association of Light patrol that they'd encountered. At that moment Michiyo Saruwatari achieved victory over her opponent, a second year Osiris Red boy. He then cried out to Saiou and was joined by the other students. He convulsed for a brief moment, and demonstrated a renewal of spirit and will that defied all sense. Michiyo was showing clear signs of exhaustion, as were the others. Yet they fought on. "You get it now? You might think that our faith and devotion to the principles of the Association of Light can be broken, that a meagre and incidental defeat would lead to Saiou abandoning us in our time of need, but as you can see that is not the case. By the power of the Light, our wills are able to join together; for every new member that joins, our power grows exponentially. Asuka Tenjouin's victory the other day under the sign of Judgment was the moment of truth; before that time you could have done something to change the future foreseen by Saiou, but now it's far too late. But do know this." Momoe then joined her hand with Junko's. "Even with this senseless defiance of the fate set down by Saiou, you can and will join us, and no memory of this unfortunate time will be held against you."

"Are you done yet?" Edo said in a low voice. Rei was silent, but her posture and body language conveyed her assent with what Edo was saying. "Your association has a great power, true. Saiou's wisdom has allowed you to achieve much, this is true. But! By giving yourself over to him like this, by being his servant and not his partner, his friend, the power that you've gained is meaningless! Go ahead Junko, make use of Malicious Deathbringer's power, for all the good it will do you." Junko pulled her hand away from Momoe, her face now twisted with anger.

"How dare you insult your supposed friend. Malicious Deathbringer, Reap the Sown!" Once more Malicious Deathbringer was armed with its scythe, and once more it tore through Edo's monsters. But after the destruction, Devoted Faithful One's effect activated, providing Edo with two Devoted tokens for him to use. Edo now had a sly grin on his face.

"This is as far as you'll get, and no further. Go on Rei; show them that they've got you all wrong." The two duellists exchanged looks; for the past week as Rei worried about Judai, she found the time and opportunity to speak with Edo. Just as Edo had returned to Duel Academia a changed boy, Rei had begun her own change. And with his help, Rei knew that she could complete that change.

"All right, I'll start by playing Resonance Calling, and since Edo has the earth attribute Devoted tokens on the field, I can special summon Resonance Warden from my deck in defence mode. Next, I'll summon Resonance Warrior from my hand, and then I attack Fallow Angel of Harvest with her!" The woman wielding twin short swords dashed forward, surrounded by the aura created by Resonance Warden. Resonance Warrior pinned the angel's wings down with her blades before punching him in the face, defeating him. And in that moment, the trap card All is White was returned to Junko's hand. "Now, since Resonance Warden is on the field, Resonance Warrior can activate her effect and special summon a Resonance monster from my hand in defence mode; in this case, Resonance Maiden." Garbed in red, brown, and blue, the three resonance monsters had been gathered onto the field. "Now I set two cards, and end my turn."

"Oh please, do you think that Lord Saiou is stupid?" Momoe called out as she discarded Mystic Plasma Zone to keep Malicious Deathbringer on the field. "Do you think that just because you've left that big wide opening that I'm going to attack it, in defiance of the wisdom he's provided me? You've got another thing coming, freshman. I activate Malicious Deathbringer's effect and bypass your obvious trap all together." As the Malicious Deathbringer held high its scythe, the auras of the three Resonance monsters began to glow brighter, and as the Malicious Deathbringer brought it's scythed down upon them, they all disappeared pre-emptively, their aura's joining into a brilliant white that defied Malicious Deathbringer's efforts to advance against Edo's devoted tokens.

"Sorry, but going for the attack would have been the right option the first time around; see, my trap card Resonance Renewal activates whenever my opponent tries to destroy my Resonance monsters with an effect. It allows me to sacrifice my monsters to negate that effect and recover five hundred life points for each Resonance monster that I sacrificed. Then, I can special summon a resonance token of the appropriate attribute for each of my sacrificed Resonance monsters." A red statue, a blue statue, and a brown statue each appeared, bearing a vague resemblance to their sacrificed predecessors and possessing 1000 attack points each. "Well, it looks like Saiou's promises are failing you after all. If you'd gone with your own idea and attacked head on, you'd have won. Sacrificing everything to form one super-unstoppable power doesn't seem like such a great plan now, does it? It does make for an interesting parallel though, doesn't it?" Momoe's face was now contorted with anger

"You impertinent child, the both of you! I've placed my trust in the invisible hand of fate, and I will not have the blind fools who've rejected the gifts that were freely offered them purely out of spite to tell me that I was wrong!" Junko then reached out and grabbed Momoe's arm.

"Stop it! This isn't about you; this is about us and the glory of the Association of Light! And besides, all they've done is to delay the inevitable; neither of them have any monsters with the kind of attack power needed to overcome Malicious Deathbringer."

"And do you really think that power is what's needed to overcome that beast?" Edo said, once more with a sly smile on his face. "Because if Rei has the card out that I think she does, I'll show you how badly misplaced your faith is. First, I sacrifice one devoted token to summon to the field Raiza the Storm Monarch." As the emperor of wind appeared, a twisting tunnel of wind attempted to spirit Malicious Deathbringer away.

"Weren't you paying attention?" Momoe called out. "When I said that you could only destroy Malicious Deathbringer by battle, I meant it! Any effect that would try to remove Malicious Deathbringer from the field is doomed to fail!" Indeed, Malicious Deathbringer embedded its scythe into the ground, holding itself until the wind passed.

"Actually, there is one effect that can get rid of it;" Edo dramatically thrust out his hand, pointing to Malicious Deathbringer itself. "Now, I play the spell card Timed Effect; by sacrificing my other Devoted token, I can force your Malicious Deathbringer to activate its standby phase effect." Junko responded by rolling her eyes.

"Need I remind you that we both control Malicious Deathbringer, so all I have to do is discard my All is White card and...!" Rei then activated her face-down card, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan.

"Thanks to Edo, I now have a monster of each needed attribute on the field, and I choose to force you to discard two cards from your hand. Mind you, you only have the one card in hand, but that was one card you really needed just now." With twisting elemental fury Junko lost her card, and without it, Malicious Deathbringer could not be sustained. It began to rot away and swiftly lost all definition. The scythe it held, once so dreadfully powerful, was now reduced to the wings that formed it, limp and lifeless on the ground. The monster disintegrated, gone forever.

"No...That can't be right." Momoe said in a shuddering whisper. "Our combined power, it was supposed to be unstoppable."

"That's right." Junko said with the same shuddering whisper. "Stupid tricks like that weren't supposed to ever overcome the hidden strength of the Association of Light." Edo then began to finish his move.

"Well, it would seem that you were wrong. And to confirm this victory, I discard a card from my hand to special summon The Tricky, and now I order both my monsters, and Rei's monsters, to attack you two directly!" With a combined total of 7400 attack points, the five monsters of the elements and the darkness were able to overcome the guardians of the Light.

"Saiou, we won't lose faith!" Junko cried out.

"We still believe in your power over the invisible will of fate! Guide us, Lord Saiou!" Momoe cried out as well. Rei then charged forward, followed by Edo. Rei grabbed the two girls and looked them both in the eye.

"What do you two think you're doing? Do you really think this is going to help? Don't you get why you lost this duel in the first place? It's because you both sacrificed your identities and let someone else use you as a vessel for their power. It's because you decided to cling to someone else's coattails and let yourself be defined by them instead of yourself. Come on, I've read about you two, about what you accomplished last year, and I've spoken with Professor Midori, so I know about the promise you two made before you each tried to advance to Obelisk Blue. Are you going to throw that promise away, just for an easy win that you wouldn't even have earned?"

The Light in Junko and Momoe's eyes began to waver. A long silent moment passed, and the two looked each other in the eye. Edo watched over the three of them, confident that there was nothing more for him to do. As the Light faded away, Junko and Momoe hugged each other tightly, tears streaming down their eyes.

"How could I have been so stupid?" Momoe said first. "I actually believed all that trash that that Apostle of Wind tried to sell me, he actually convinced me that I was abandoning and betraying you."

"It's okay," Junko said as she ran her hand down Momoe's back. "I believed it too. Divide and conquer, such a basic strategy, and we fell for it. Well, I'm not going to let it happen again; next chance we get, we're going to make an attack of our own, and give them a little taste of their own medicine!" The two laughed lightly and separated.

At that very moment, the four of them felt a sudden weight upon them, and even though the brightness of the hall hadn't changed, they instinctively shaded their eyes with their arms. As though seeing with their mind's eyes, the four duellists advanced against that Light and made their way to where the Trinity was waiting. Upon entering, they saw Judai down on his knees as Manjoume stood over him in triumph, his Dragon of the Emperor's Light roaring in triumph.

"Go ahead Judai, surrender! You've already drawn your last card, and you know you've lost, so preserve a little dignity, and accept the embrace of the Light!" Manjoume's words rang with his joyous laughter.


	29. Chapter 29

Overwhelming Strength of the Light, Will of the Emperor

"Manjoume! Shou! Asuka!" Judai called out to them as soon as he made his way into the main duelling hall, where he saw his three friends seated on thrones set in the stands. Asuka was in the highest throne, Shou in the middle, and Manjoume on the bottom. "Everyone..." They all looked down on him in contempt.

"Well, well, well," Asuka said as she rested her head on her hand, "It looks like you managed to make it here, and all by yourself too!" Asuka gave a light chuckle.

"Personally," Shou said as he adjusted his glasses, "I'm glad that Judai made it this far; after all the struggle he's put up, it'd be disappointing if it were to end anticlimactically." Manjoume then stood up and began to make his way down.

"Indeed. And it certainly has been a while, hasn't it Judai? Since our first and last duel, I mean. After all, the stage was set for a rivalry not seen in this world since Yuugi Mutou and Seto Kaiba, and yet...somehow it failed to come to pass. Our rematch at the finals of the Whim of Fate tournament never happened, and ever since then excuses kept piling up. But no more, Judai; on this day, fate has seen fit to grant me the rematch that I deserve, and you will realize that you can't run from your fate any longer, of submitting to the will of the Association of Light!" Manjoume armed his duel disc and looked upon Judai with burning eyes. "Come Judai, surely you can deign to face me in order to 'rescue your beloved Asuka'." The last was said with a derisive sneer.

"Manjoume!" Judai yelled out as he armed his Duel Disc in turn. "I don't care about some petty sense of rivalry, I just want you guys back to normal and be my friends again. So I'll duel you Manjoume, not out of some sense of fate or entitlement, but because you're a good friend of mine who needs to see what you've made of yourself!"

"Humph. A good friend of yours? Funny, I don't recall you ever confiding in me, depending on me, connecting with me...really, I don't recall any sort of meaningful bond at all. But I know who you're really talking about, and unfortunately for you, you're so far beneath her that you'll never earn the chance to face her. Now, I claim the first turn, and I summon Axe Dragonute to the field, and set one card to end my turn."

"My turn! Manjoume, I don't know what new cards Saiou's given you, but I know that there's no way they could ever truly match your soul the way your true deck does, the deck that you put together yourself and filled with your own will. Now, I'm going to show you the new power of my deck, the power that my friend Hayako has entrusted me with." Asuka suddenly interrupted Judai's declaration.

"Ha! There's a laugh" Asuka then narrowed her eyes. "Oh, don't mind me Judai. I'm sure that you'll put up an impressive performance, and defy the fate that the three of us have foreseen." Asuka swept her hand to indicate herself, Shou, and Manjoume. "Go ahead, try." This she said in a faux-nurturing tone, conveying perfectly her position on the matter.

"Focus Judai," He said to himself in quiet voice. Judai then focused back on his opponent, and spoke firmly. "All right Manjoume, I'll start by playing the Field Spell card, Centripetal Force." A tornado appeared over the two duellists, the funnel suspended above the ground as the wind alternated between pulling and pushing. "Next, I play Fusion, sending Heat and Lady Heat to the grave to summon Elemental Hero Inferno. Elemental Hero Inferno, attack Axe Dragnoute!" The towering warrior of fire spread his arms wide in preparation for his attack.

"Tch, what a pathetic and basic strategy. Such a move merits only this response; Dragon Cry!" As Manjoume activated his trap, Axe Dragonute roared furiously, cowing the Elemental Hero into calling off his attack. "Noise and fury Judai, signifying nothing. A power that can't compose itself in the face of adversity is worse than useless."

"...I set two cards, and end my turn." Judai couldn't believe it; when the Dragon Cry activated, he felt the fear his hero felt. The same paralyzing sensation, the same inability to believe that he could overcome...it had passed, true, but that didn't make it any less frightening. Manjoume was drawing on a huge wellspring of power, that much was clear to Judai now.

"Just as I knew you would, trying to shore up your defences. I wonder how well that will work." Manjoume said with a knowing smile, as though he already knew the outcome of this turn. But Judai knew that he didn't. Despite everything that Takuma and Mizuchi had tried to predict and control, there were too many things that had slipped past them, and Judai knew that he could it up, if he could just focus on the task at hand. "I start by playing Duality, sacrificing my Dark attribute Axe Dragonute to special summon from my hand Light End Dragon!" The Light End Dragon burst its way out of Axe Dragonute, its light extinguishing the darkness of its sacrifice. "Next, I summon Shine Dragon to the field, and sacrifice it to destroy your first face down card, Hero Barrier!"

"What?" Shine Dragon transformed into a beam of light and eradicated Judai's trap. But how could Manjoume have...

"Known? Judai, I should think even you would have figured it out by now; we're not called The Trinity simply because of our numbers; our power is above even that of a normal member of the Association of Light, and this brings us knowledge and presence and power that the likes of you can't hope to contest. And let me assure you, of the three of us, I'm the weakest."

"Hold on!" Judai yelled out in an effort to interrupt Manjoume's momentum. "The Manjoume I knew would never say that about himself, and he would never accept anyone telling him that either! There's no way you're the real Manjoume, so fess up!"

"Oh, poor Judai." Shou said as he yawned in exaggerated boredom. "Looks like there's another thing he doesn't understand about the Association of Light. To obtain our power, we must accept our place and the role fate has assigned to us as revealed by Lord Takuma Saiou."

"That's right Judai." Manjoume said, picking up the baton as it were. "I could try and fail to become the best, to become the Duellist King, to fill the empty throne, or I can accept the predetermined victory, and achieve my true desire, my desire to defeat you! Light End Dragon, attack Elemental Hero Inferno! Shining Sublimation!" Light End Dragon roared, and breathed out a beam of light that tore through Elemental Hero Inferno, and struck Judai in the chest. He reeled back as he felt a weight descending upon his soul, a weight that he recognized all too well. "You get it now, right? The Light has not yet given up its grip on you Judai. Even we don't know how you're doing it, but I know for a fact that you can't do it forever. When this duel ends, whatever power you're drawing upon will fade, and then you will be ours."

"Don't be so sure about that Manjoume." Judai wiped away the sensation of pain in his chest, and kept the memory of Kouyou Hibiki strong in his heart. "And besides, there are a few effects to resolve before we move on. First, since Elemental Hero Inferno was just sent to the grave, I can add a spell card from the grave back to my hand, so I'll be taking back fusion, and then Centripetal Force activates its effect." The tornado spun inwards, drawing in Elemental Hero Inferno's remains. Then it spun back out, and Elemental Heroes Heat and Lady Heat were on the field. "Whenever a fusion Elemental Hero is destroyed and sent to the grave, I get to special summon its material monsters back to the field in attack mode, without their effects. Finally, I activated Hero Signal to special summon Elemental Hero Stratos to the field, and I activate his effect to add Elemental Hero Ocean to my hand."

"Humph, all that searching, and for what? Nothing but weak little minions that can't hope to overcome the perfect Light of my dragon. I'll set one card, and end my turn."

"Don't be so sure Manjoume; I've still got a few more tricks up my sleeve yet. Now I play Fusion again, and send Elemental Heroes Ocean and Ice Edge to the grave to summon Absolute Zero to the field in defence mode. Next I put all my monsters in defence mode, and end my turn."

"Ah, coming all this way just to huddle up in a little ball. It's, pretty damn sad actually. Let me show you what a waste of time this strategy of yours is; I play the spell card Light from Darkness, discarding a Dark monster of equal or greater level to a Light monster on my field." Although he didn't call it out, Judai saw that the discarded monster was Light and Darkness dragon. This didn't bode well. "Now, Light End Dragon can attack every monster you control at once!" Light End Dragon obliterated Judai's defences, but at a cost; when Elemental Hero Absolute Zero was destroyed, it tossed a choice spear of ice through Light End Dragon's mouth, slaying it. And with Centripetal field's effect, I bring back Ocean and Ice Edge in attack mode."

"But without their effects Judai, whereas my dragon will suffer from no such limitation; I activate the trap card Immortal Dragon to bring back Light End Dragon, and attack your Ice Edge for eighteen hundred points of damage!" The force of this blow was many times stronger than the one before it, but Judai remained resolute; he would not allow mere power to overcome him, not when he had something far more important to duel for. "Now my turn is over Judai. Try not to embarrass yourself further; it just makes me look worse for picking on you." Shou and Asuka chuckled lightly, and Judai just let it wash over him.

"Ah, now he's trying to play being mature." Asuka said in a false cooing tone. "It'd be so precious, if it weren't so obvious that he's just covering up his true nature. But no deception can conceal itself from the revelation of the Light."

"Oh, you think so Asuka?" Judai said with an un-ironic grin. "Well, we haven't been hanging around lately, so I'll just have to bring you and Shou and Manjoume back in on the loop." Judai laughed a little; with everything he'd been through lately, he wasn't sure that he'd be able to have fun in a duel again, but with all the great plays that Manjoume was making, even though he wasn't himself, he couldn't help but enjoy the duel for its own sake. It especially helped that one of the cards he'd just drawn was Winged Kuriboh, whose spirit was a great comforting presence for him. "I play Hero's Final Legacy; since I have four Elemental Heroes in my grave, I can draw three cards from my deck. Next, I play Fusion Pass, sending the top five cards of my deck to the grave and if Fusion Material monsters are among those cards, I can perform a Fusion summon." Judai watched the cards closely; Elemental Hero Woodsman, Elemental Hero Poison Rose, O-Overcall, A Hero Arrives, and Elemental Hero Knopse. "All right, now you guys will be the first to see my newest hero in action, a fusion of Woodsman, Knopse, and Poison Rose, Elemental Hero Oak!" Twice as tall as Elemental Hero Earth, girded in the thick bark of the most ancient Oak tree, this female hero was filled with the abundant and affirming energy of life, possessing 3000 attack points.

"When Elemental Hero Oak is summoned, I can remove from play two Elemental Heroes from my hand, field, or grave. When I do, I gain their defence points as life points, and their attack points get added to Oak's. Therefore, I remove Ocean on the field and Woodsman in my grave, bringing Elemental Hero Oak's attack power to fifty-five hundred while I recover thirty two hundred life points." Elemental Hero Oak took hold of each hero, and then planted them as though they were seeds. "And next I play H-Heated Heart to give Oak another five hundred attack points, bringing her to six thousand attack points. Elemental Hero Oak, Verdant Growth!" Elemental Hero Oak took one step forward, crossing the distance between the two duellists, and struck.

"Don't forget about Light End Dragon's effect Judai! Light Expansion!" Light End Dragon shined with a brightness that would have overwhelmed a normal plant, but Elemental Hero Oak would not be denied so easily. With each strike a thick verdant growth appeared on Light End Dragon's body, and by the time she was done with her work, there was nothing left of Light End Dragon. In this manner, Judai's life points had risen up to 5100, while Manjoume's life points had dropped down to 1600.

"All right Manjoume, that's it for me. I can't wait to see how you're going to turn this one around." Manjoume gave a soft chuckle.

"Turn it around? Judai, what makes you think this duel has ever gone the way you wanted it to? What makes you think that anything that has transpired on this day has transpired the way you wanted it to? The method of your madness may be hidden from the Light, but that is all. Allow me to demonstrate this simple point. My turn!" As Manjoume drew his next card, Judai could swear that a bloom of light followed it. "Now, I play my spell card, Ascendance of Light, and remove Light-End Dragon from the grave to special summon from my deck, Dragon of the Emperor's Light!" A white dragon even purer then Light End Dragon, a beast of claws and fangs and scales so smooth that one could not even perceive them in their own right independent of the rest. The wings were ephemeral, ethereal even, sparkling in the light of the room. And yet, for all its splendour, it only had 2000 attack points. "Dragon of the Emperor's Light, Holy Light Sublimation!" The dragon roared, spread its wings wide, and with its whole being it fired a beam of light as vast and bright as the light of the sun itself. When that beam struck Elemental Hero Oak, the hero held fast. "It's useless Judai; when Dragon of the Emperor's Light attacks, the damage step is skipped," Elemental Hero Oak attempted to strike through that light, but was denied, "your monster is automatically destroyed," Elemental Hero Oak struggled, but was obliterated, "and you take damage equal to Dragon of the Emperor's Light's original attack power." The Light then crashed down upon Judai like a wave, almost drowning him. "And don't forget, since you saw fit to remove Elemental Hero Woodsman from the grave, Centripetal Force can't activate its effect.'

"Wow Manjoume, looks like I got what I asked for." Judai said with only a little bluster; that last attack had really taken it out of him, and he realized that if he lost all his life points to that dragon's power, he really wouldn't have enough strength left to resist the light.

But he wasn't going to let a little worry like that stop him now, not after how far he'd gotten. "My turn Manjoume, and I play Fifth Hope, returning five Elemental Heroes from my grave back to my deck to draw two cards." He returned Stratos, Knopse, Ice Edge, Heat, and Lady Heat, and drew his cards. "All right, get ready to be yourself again Manjoume, because I play Parallel World Fusion, and since Ocean and Woodsman are removed from play, I fusion summon Elemental Hero Earth." A shattering hammer blow, the covered sky above broke apart, and Elemental Hero Earth leaped through. He landed on the ground with a thundering crash. "Now I summon Elemental Hero Heat, and sacrifice him to raise Elemental Hero Earth's attack power to forty-three hundred points. This has been a great duel Manjoume, but it's time to wake up! Elemental Hero Earth, finish this with Magma Rush!" Elemental Hero Earth drew his swords of fire and rushed forth to slay the dragon. But in the moment that he struck, it was clear that something had gone horribly wrong.

"Sorry Judai, but when Dragon of the Emperor's Light is attacked, the damage step is skipped, your monster is destroyed, and you take damage equal to Dragon of the Emperor's Light original defence power." A hole the size of a soccer ball was blown through Elemental Hero Earth's chest, and the remaining light impacted Judai for 1000 points of damage. "As you can see, battle is useless against my ultimate monster, which means you have only one monster you can summon that can defeat me, and trust me, if you think history will repeat itself, then you truly are blind."

"We won't know until we get there Manjoume." Judai then turned back to Shou and Asuka. "And the same goes for you two as well; you might think that this power makes you invincible, but you can't count on power that's using you. Saiou is trying to control you and use you to his own ends, and no one deserves that, especially not my friends! Go on Manjoume, attack."

"Humph, as interesting as that sounds, I'm afraid I can't; while Dragon of the Emperor's Light is on the field, I can't summon any other monsters, nor can it attack directly. But when there are no monsters on your side of the field, I can discard a card from my hand to deal eight hundred points of damage. Like so; Divine Descent!" Dragon of the Emperor's Light flew up into the air, and used its wings to focus the light into an array of beams, striking Judai all down the line of his body. "Now, go ahead Judai, draw the card that we both know will let you summon Winged Kuriboh Level Ten, your ultimate monster and expression of your soul, so that you may experience the true strength of the Light."

"All right, if you want it you'll get it Manjoume! I play Magician's Archive to add Spellbook Inside the Pot to my hand, and I play it, allowing each of us to draw three cards. Now, I summon Winged Kuriboh in defence mode, set one card, and end my turn." Winged Kuriboh chirped excitedly when it appeared, and Judai could feel another presence as well. He looked over to Asuka, and saw that Kuriboh was there as well, trying to reach her.

"You may as well have admitted that you set Transcendent Wings; we both know there's no way you would have drawn anything else. Now, let us finish this Judai, the rivalry that you denied me from fear of the defeat that you knew I would deal you! Holy Light Sublimation!"

"Activate Quick Spell Card, Transcendent Wings, I discard Elemental Heroes Sunlight and Obsidian to sacrifice Winged Kuriboh and special summon Winged Kuriboh Level Ten, and I sacrifice it to destroy your dragon and deal damage to you equal to its attack power!" As Winged Kuriboh Level Ten spread its wings and shined with a light far more true than the Light of the Association, Manjoume howled with laughter.

"Here it is Judai, the moment of truth! I now activate my quick spell card, Absolute Shield of Light! With this, you get to draw two cards and my monster can't be destroyed this turn, rendering your ultimate monster's sacrifice worthless!" Winged Kuriboh's power washed over the invincible barrier that surrounded the Dragon of the Emperor's Light, and diffused over the rest of the room. "Praise be to Saiou, praise be to the Association of Light, praise be to Fate itself for at last giving me this sacred duel! And now while I can't attack, I can still activate my dragon's effect, and deal another eight hundred points of damage to you!" Another array of beams struck, this time bringing Judai down to his knees as his life points dropped to five hundred.

"It's...It's still not over yet Manjoume." Everything was becoming hazy, and for a moment he thought that he could see Winged Kuriboh floating at Asuka's side, along with Kuriboh. "I still have a card I can draw, a card I can play, a card that can win this duel, and bring me one step closer to rescuing Asuka from my own mistake!"

"And there it is." Manjoume crooned in triumph. "At last, in this moment of weakness and honesty you admit what it is you're really trying to accomplish here. Such conceited arrogance can't be allowed to stand before the Light, so let me make something perfectly clear to you Judai; you bear no responsibility or role in Asuka's fate. You might want to pretend that you played some significant role in her existence and purpose, but the fact of the matter is that you are only a distraction to her. You bring her nothing but weakness, nothing but an emptiness that threatens to lead her away from fulfilling her dreams. Of all of us in the Association of Light, she above all others chose to follow the fate shown to her. But you, in your arrogance, decided that since you didn't like the decision she made, that she couldn't have been responsible for it, that her agency must have been compromised. Thus, when you enter the Association of Light, you will truly realize that you do not even deserve to walk in her shadow."

"That, that's not true!" Judai turned to Asuka, the fear plain in his eyes. "Asuka, you don't...you couldn't..." Judai felt his will withering in the presence of Asuka's silent glare. He couldn't even see Kuriboh and Winged Kuriboh anymore, and while he wished he could have seen some sign of an internal struggle, nothing made its way to the surface to reassure him. The sensation of Kouyou Hibiki in his heart was fading away fast. All his old beliefs about duelling, about his friends, about Asuka, were drifting away in the face of the force of the Light. Judai drew his card listlessly, and looked down at his hand. In that moment, Edo, Rei, Junko, and Momoe arrived, right in time to see him lose everything of the old him.

"Go ahead Judai, surrender! You've already drawn your last card, and you know you've lost, so preserve a little dignity, and accept the embrace of the Light!" Manjoume's words rang with his joyous laughter, and Judai knew he was right; Rose Bud, Elemental Hero Knopse, and R-Righteous Justice. He couldn't win with these cards, and he wouldn't be able to get another turn. It was over, and while his friends were saying something, he couldn't hear it. Judai lifted his hand, feeling as though he were moving it from outside his body, and was about to place it on his deck. That was when someone grabbed his hand, stopping with a firm grip.

"Judai, I'm sorry." Judai couldn't believe it, he looked up at Asuka, saw that she'd stopped him from giving up, and saw that Kuriboh and Winged Kuriboh were there with them, and gone was the Light in her eyes, now once more their normal golden brown.

* * *

"I was wrong." Asuka thought to herself as she began to make her way down the steps, walking past Shou who was so eagerly absorbed in the events of the duel that he didn't even notice her. Kuriboh floated on her right side, and showed her plainly the effects of her actions since she'd joined the Association of Light. The base facts of the events were nothing new, but the perspective itself was, and it was definitely something that she'd been hiding from herself. Winged Kuriboh showed Asuka different scenes, of Judai floating in a strange void and speaking to a man who held a great resemblance to Professor Hibiki...Kouyou, she realized.

"I lied to myself." Asuka had thought that she'd made sure it wouldn't ever happen, but it did; she'd become absorbed in victory for its own sake, forgetting the reason that she duelled. The reason...she was at Judai's side, standing now in the spot where Winged Kuriboh Level Ten had sacrificed itself, and countered the Light that she'd enshrouded herself in. Asuka saw the confusion and uncertainty that had overtaken Judai, and while part of her was still frustrated with him, she realized how much of that was exaggeration or outright fabrication to justify her choice. She grabbed Judai's hand, and stopped him from surrendering like she had.

"I'm sorry Judai." He looked up at her as though he was seeing an Angel, but she felt nothing of the sort. "Manjoume was right; I did make this choice, of my own free will. The Light enabled me, but blaming it won't get me anywhere. And to ask you to clean up after my mess, would make me more immature then I ever could have accused you of being."

"Asuka, I..." Judai was barely able to get back to his feet. "I'm, I'm glad you're back to normal, but look; I lost, I really can't win with this hand." Asuka smiled softly.

"That's okay; you shouldn't have been in this duel in the first place, so let me finish it." She then turned to Manjoume, and hardened her features and her voice. "Well Manjoume, do you have any objections to this, seeing that I am the centerpiece of this ridiculous farce of a duel?"

"Objection?" Manjoume said, clearly unnerved by what was plainly unanticipated and unplanned turn of events. "Why would I object? I mean, this is clearly just to make absolutely certain that Judai understands that not even the strongest duellist in the Association can save him from the Light; After all, my purity of being and will is second to none! Now, since Judai had three cards in his hand, you may draw three cards from your deck, and play out Judai's final turn."

"Purity...that's another lie told to the self." Asuka armed her duel disc, and drew three cards, the only cards she would need. "Don't you remember what my brother said to you? Don't you remember the card of your soul?"

"Humph, what do you mean? Dragon of the Emperor's Light stands before you, perfectly expressing my absolute strength."

"I see...Manjoume, let me help you remember who you really are, not just the pleasant and strong parts, but the weak and dependent part, the part of that realized the struggle for victory was more important than settling for a pre-set and easy path. First I summon Cold Enchanter, and then I play my spell card, Holy Resurrection; I remove from play at least three monsters of level eight or higher from the grave, to special summon one monster from either player's grave regardless of summoning conditions. Therefore, I remove Winged Kuriboh Level Ten, Elemental Hero Earth, and Elemental Hero Oak from the grave, and special summon from yours, Light and Darkness Dragon!" Hovering over Dragon of the Emperor's Light, Light and Darkness Dragon looked upon Manjoume with clear disappointment.

"You, no, I don't have any darkness, darkness made me weak and held me back and kept me from becoming the best...wait, no, I, I'm supposed to be satisfied with my place in the Association...I...Fubuki, what am I doing!?" Manjoume's conflict was clear, and Asuka saw that it would not be long before he was himself again as well.

"Light and Darkness Dragon, Dark Baptism!" Light and Darkness Dragon roared, and when Dragon of the Emperor's Light attempted to defy its enemy's power, the united dragon created a field that denied this power, and while there was a cost, Dragon of the Emperor's Light was destroyed by battle for 300 hundred points of damage. "Cold Enchanter, finish him!" A cold blast of ice, and Manjoume felt his head becoming clear. He could feel the presence of the Association of Light in him evaporating, and while he knew that he could call it back and reinforce it, he didn't want to.

"Light and Darkness Dragon...Fubuki...forgive me...I just..." Light and Darkness Dragon enveloped Manjoume in its wings before vanishing, showing her forgiveness.

"You just became a huge disappointment Manjoume!" Shou shouted down at the duellists below him, and armed his duel disc. "I've worked hard to create this perfect Association, and I will not have the three of you ruin my place in the Light," Shou then pointed down at Edo and the others, "nor will I have you interlopers and traitors interfere!"


	30. Chapter 30

Return to Balance, the Circle of Friendship Restored

"Judai Yuki...Asuka Tenjouin..." Takuma Saiou was alone in his office, and even without the cameras and other devices by which his lesser predecessor kept watch over Duel Academia, he was fully aware of everything that transpired in view of the Association of Light, both on the island, and beyond. Every member of the Association of Light served as his eyes, his ears, and his hands in the world. And in turn he was their guiding light, using his power, wisdom, and knowledge to show them the path to take. "The Fool and Judgement, no matter how I try, it seems I can't bring the Light to you. Of all the pitfalls and trials that await, you two constitute the only unknown and unanticipated ones." His expression changed not at all as the tears began to flow; this path had taken down the road of his memories, of his hope against hope that somehow Edo could have defeated The Hallowed One without learning of the truth of his fate. But Mizuchi had told him the truth of that first fortune when they'd first met, and once the fated duel was won, Takuma could see all other paths close. Now only the path of battle remained, a battle against Edo Phoenix, for the good of the Association of Light, and of the new world to come.

"That you would use your friend, and then throw him away, all to further your goals, is demonstration enough that your new world is not needed." Takuma Saiou looked up, and saw Samejima standing there. No...It was only the image, the impression of her. She was still silent, still unmoving after the outcome of their duel. This, Takuma Saiou knew to be true. "I have been silent, true, but I have not been still, Takuma Saiou." The image persisted, as though it had independent existence. "You had sought to use your power to control me, but you forgot that I, like so many others on this island, have been touched by the shadows, and I have found a way to ride the power you attempted to use against me."

"I see. Do you mean to imply that you've been hiding yourself within my psyche, Former Principal Samejima, with the intent of pilfering through my memories and secrets for your purposes?" Saiou sported a vicious grin. "Such a tactic is to be expected of the darkness. I could have been more vigilant in my own mind, but as you may have noticed, I've been busy creating, moulding, and the minds of those who now walk in the Light. Again, such a tactic, taking advantage of my noble purpose and using it against me, truly marks you as being quite villainous indeed." Samejima formed an incorporeal grin of her own with intent to respond.

"Oh, you shouldn't sell yourself short Takuma Saiou; after all, you've been gathering quite a bit of power to yourself as well, and many of the deep recesses of your mind have remained inaccessible to me. However, what I've learned from you will have to be enough; Judai, Asuka, and Manjoume are all free of your spell now, and Shou will be himself before long. As such, I must be there to welcome them back, and guide them so that we may continue to break your hold over others." Samejima turned as though to depart, but stopped.

"It is true that without the Trinity, the members of the Association are more vulnerable to your efforts." Saiou then brought out his Tarot Deck, shuffled, and drew one card. "But the path of The World, my world, will still come to pass." Saiou returned the upright The World card that he drew to his deck. "I am very near success, and I will find a method to have The Fool and The Judgement join me, and complete their purpose in the wheel of fate."

"Very well. But I leave you with this reminder Takuma; your sister has dyed her soul pitch black in the belief that this would save you from yourself. When your new world comes, do you plan to abandon her?" Samejima vanished, and Saiou drew another card from his deck. He returned The Devil to it, and began working out the details for the final phase of the plan. Fate was not his to command, Fate was his to fulfill. And he would not stop now, not after everything that he and Mizuchi had done to get this far.

* * *

"Judai, Asuka, Manjoume, Edo, Rei, Junko, Momoe; all of you, I've worked very hard to fulfill my role in the Association of Light." Despite his short stature, Shou Marufuji was able to project a terribly powerful and brilliant presence. Misawa and Momiji then rushed into the room, each showing clear signs of exhaustion. "Ah, and now you have arrived, Misawa and Momiji. Now we are all gathered again, and now I can fulfill my destiny. You all might think that you've managed to wreck everything, that you've dealt the Association of Light, but the Light is eternal and will not fade so long as one torchbearer remains to reveal it to those who wander in the dark. I will face you all, one by one, and return your power to the discretion of the Association of Light, and once more the Association shall be invincible, untouchable, and its rise unstoppable." Disconcerting as it was to watch, there was no limit to the contempt on Shou's face.

"Shou...uhh." Judai tried to get back up, to get off his knees, but even with Winged Kuriboh's presence he found he didn't have the strength. Manjoume wasn't in much better condition, and even Edo, Rei, Junko, and Momoe showed the signs of having spent much of their energy as well. Misawa and Momiji had gone through many duels already, and weren't in any condition for another so soon. Judai looked up to Asuka, who to him now stood as a pillar, an Obelisk Blue in name and form. "Asuka, do you think you could..."

"Of course, Judai." She said looking down upon him with a calming smile upon her face. "Shou's my friend too."

"Ah, thanks Asuka. Oh, and before I forget, here." Judai reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small pack of cards. "Hayako made these for you. I hope they'll help." Asuka shook Judai's hand as she took the cards from him. She quickly examined them, adjusted her deck, and armed her duel disc.

She turned her head towards Edo and the others. "Everyone, make sure that Judai and Manjoume are okay. I just have one last duel to take care of for the day." Edo and Rei nodded and rushed forth to grab the two drained and exhausted duellists and lead them off the battlefield. Asuka nodded at them, and then returned her gaze to Shou. "This feels familiar, doesn't it Shou?" The memory of the battle with The Machinator in the previous year was strong, and resonated with the present moment.

"Not really." Shou looked upon Asuka with faint disgust. "Our positions are now completely reversed from then; now I'm the enlightened one, the powerful one, the one who has to save you from your own foolishness. Asuka, even you who rejected the path of the Light, are still destined to walk this path, and I am destined to make sure that yours and everyone else's destinies are fulfilled. I will not waste any time in this endeavour, so take your first turn, for what it's worth." There was a moment in which the light reflected off the lens of Shou's glasses and blocked his eyes from sight. But in the end, it was only a trick of the light, and passed just as quickly.

"Actually, it's worth quite a bit Shou." Asuka drew her cards, and felt once more the support of her spirit partner Kuriboh. "I start by summoning Cyber Petit Angel, adding Machine Angel Ritual to my hand, and next I play Cyber Angel Calling to add one Cyber Angel from my deck to my hand. Thus, I play Machine Angel Ritual and send Cyber Petit Angel on the field and Frost Tiger in my hand to the grave to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Inari in defence mode. I end my turn by setting two cards." As the fertile goddess of the rice harvest settled into position, Shou's countenance began to shift. The anger that only a moment ago dominated him phased out, and was replaced by a dissonant serenity as the very real and lasting aura of Light began to surround him. His eyes unfocused, as though he was somewhere else. "Shou?" Asuka said out of both curiosity and worry.

"Thank you, Lady Mizuchi." Shou said in a low chuckle. "You, you who have taken from me all my darkness and have taken it upon yourself to bear it, your sacrifice will not be forgotten." The aura vanished, and Shou's eyes became pure white as he drew his next card. Inari's blessing brought Asuka an additional 1000 life points, and she knew that she would need them. "I activate my field spell card, Magical Citadel of Endymion." As the brilliant magical city appeared, Asuka found that she could no longer see her friends, nor hear their voices. But their presences, their spirit, were still with her. "And now I summon Apprentice Magician and by his effect I add a spell counter to Magical Citadel of Endymion." The first inner circle of runes began to glow ominously. "And now I play Magical Dimension, sacrificing Apprentice Magician to special summon Divine Magician Deity Endymion from my hand and destroy Cyber Angel Inari." Apprentice Magician was swiftly chained and trapped in a coffin, his energies drained away to activate the second circle of runes around the tower of the citadel. The coffin opened to reveal Shou's new ace monster, surrounded by a fierce aura of power. Endymion directed that aura at Cyber Angel Inari, and destroyed her utterly. "Now, Divine Magician Deity Endymion, attack directly!" The prayer wheel upon Endymion's back began to glow, and Endymion channelled that power down his staff, gathering it all together into one concentrated burst before unleashing it at Asuka. Just as it was about to reach her, Kuriboh appeared and took it upon itself to take the attack.

"Very good Shou, but by discarding Kuriboh I reduce the damage from your attack to zero." As she sent her remaining card from her hand to the grave, Asuka felt the overwhelming presence of Shou's attack passing over her, as though some manner of aftershock followed in its wake. "I see...so that's what you meant; rather than facing each of us, Mizuchi's using you to turn this into a duel of champions." Asuka took a deep breath and recovered her energy. "Winner takes all, or at least that's how it will be for you; somehow I doubt that Mizuchi or Takuma would willingly ante up any more of their members for this duel."

"Actually, you're wrong Asuka." Shou spoke with decisive authority. "The Lady Mizuchi demonstrated considerable mercy towards Rei, if you will recall; Judai had offered her up in order to be able to return you to your present state, but when he shamelessly begged Lady Mizuchi to not go through with that deal and take only him, she did." Asuka grimaced as the memory rushed to the surface, and the Asuka of that time appeared in her mind's eye.

"Back to coddling him again, I see." The Asuka of the Light said, surrounded by a corona in the pitch black darkness. "Coddling a childish fool whose earnest belief that he can always have his way, that he can make and break promises without consequence. Asuka, The Association of Light still needs you; you have a destiny that you need but to seize and it will be yours! Don't let him hold you back, don't let him use you as a stepping stone to his own greatness, claim it all for yourself and no one else!" Asuka swept her arm out in a symbolic gesture to cast out the image and voice before her mind's eye and ear.

"In any event," Shou continued, picking up the pace perfectly. "If you do somehow overcome the true strength of the Light, then eight random members of the Association will find themselves cast out back into the darkness; it will be up to you to keep them from returning to the Light at the first opportunity. Now, I set one card, and end my turn."

"My turn! I summon Blizzard Dragon to the field and activate its effect, freezing your monster and preventing it from attacking or changing battle position until the end of my next turn." The blue dragon gripped the ground tightly as thin beams of ice shot forth from its thin wings. Endymion's arms and legs were bound in place, denying his power to attack. "Shou, tell me, please; where do you see yourself? When you look at yourself in the mirror, what is it you see? I know what it was that I saw," Asuka determinedly ignored the persistent memory in her mind's eye, even as it continued to taunt her, "But what about you? Are you surrounded by worshipful admirers, do women capitulate before you, do you rest in the lap of luxury?" The look on Shou's face was telling.

"As though I, a member of the Association of Light, would be in need of such ostentation; well, it is true that I will be rewarded for my works and my faith, but the future I see is my duty and destiny, my works and faith in themselves. Surely you haven't forgotten it already Asuka, the bliss that comes of knowing your purpose, of knowing that every step you take brings you ever inexorably closer to the very fulfillment of your existence. As you've chosen to be now, it is impossible for you to know just what it is you ought to do, and having experienced the blessing of the Light, it can't be easy for you to just throw it away."

"Well, he's certainly got a good head on his shoulders." The Asuka of the Light spoke in an even, cooing tone that caused Asuka's skin to crawl. "And he's right; sure, right now you may think that you're doing the right thing, that what you're doing will fulfill your desires and make you happy, but what of tomorrow? Powerful as you are, you can't know what it will bring, and for all you know, your actions will serve to bring tragedy and misery for yourself, a world where you walk blindly, stumbling and never certain what could have been. But in the presence of the Light, all such fears fade away, don't you remember?"

"I remember..." Asuka spoke in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "I remember abandoning my friends, and forsaking the one I love, for the sake of assuaging a petty insecurity, and indulging an overinflated sense of entitlement. It was a moment of weakness I shall not repeat! Take your turn Shou, and let us see whether fate is truly on your side in this duel."

"Oh, we already know the answer to that one Asuka," Shou said as his smile remained constant "And while your power to defy fate is notable, it cannot endure. I play Spell Power Grasp, adding two more spell counters to the Magical Citadel of Endymion while adding another Spell Power Grasp to my hand, and then I activate Pitch Black Power Stone, and transfer one spell counter to the citadel as well. Next, I discard Spell Power Grasp to activate Endymion's effect and destroy Blizzard Dragon." A single word of power uttered from his lips, and that was all Endymion needed to annihilate Blizzard Dragon. Above him glowed five of the arrays of runes that encircled his citadel. "Now, I summon Armor EXE to the field, and due to its effect, I can't attack with it on the turn it is summoned. But twenty four hundred attack points await you on the next turn. Sorry for the delay Asuka, but while the future waits for no one, we must wait before we are delivered to our final end. Your turn."

As Asuka drew her card, one of the two remaining spell counters on the Pitch Black Power Stone faded away, the price for keeping Armor EXE on the field. "I summon Mother Grizzly in defence mode, and end my turn." It was a dicey situation that she found herself in; Asuka knew that if Shou were to draw a spell card, it would be over for her. But she would not give in to that fear, for the very uncertainty itself brought about a burning in her blood that she'd almost forgotten. Combined with her own cool nature, Asuka felt as though she now stood in the eye of the storm, and the howling of that wind served to drown out the persistent voice of the Light.

"And here we are." The final spell counter from Pitch Black Power Stone faded, and the stone itself crumbled away. The ice that sealed Endymion's attacks melted away. "My perfect, invincible combo is complete. I now play Mystical Space Typhoon, and I'll destroy your second face down card, Double Passé!" As the wind tore through Asuka's card, it was immediately replaced by a new one, and the white covering and coloring Shou's eyes could not hide his surprise.

"Sorry Shou, but the card you targeted was Spell Calling. Was this part of the future you're destined to fulfill, or are you perhaps being tested?" The Asuka of the Light scowled at her, but Asuka ignored her. Shou then resumed his content smile.

"Neither. I was simply getting ahead of myself, a sign of human error that I will excise in accordance with my fate. But, you've missed the important part of this event; Behold, the complete paradise!" Shou pointed up to the top of the Magical Citadel of Endymion, where all six arrays of runes were now glowing with power, the thrumming audible even down below on the ground. "With all six spell counters gathered, Endymion is immortal; any effort to destroy him will be instantly foiled by the magic power I've gathered, and with his return from the grave I will gain the spell that I need to destroy you utterly. Now, Armor EXE, attack Mother Grizzly!"

"Trap card activate, Double Passé!" Mother Grizzly roared and clawed its way past the rocky construction of Armor EXE, digging a deep gash into Shou's flesh for 1400 points of damage, damage that he withstood without issue. However, when Armor EXE teleported up to Asuka, she could already feel the force of its presence, a force that only grew worse as it gathered its attack. A thin beam of light struck her in the chest, but to Asuka it felt as though a freight train had impacted against her, as though she were being lifted into the air by a raging bull. No longer in the eye of the storm, the Asuka of the Light was able to make herself heard.

"You remember it, don't you? That power was yours only moments ago, and in moments it can be yours again, and so much more. Victory here and now will carry no guarantee for the future, will foreshadow nothing of the future that you seek. But be defeated now, give in to the vision granted by the Light, and victory shall forever be yours, and what else could you conceivably ask for? Return to the Association of Light, and the proof of your strength, of your conviction, of your true existence shall be forever assured."

"Is that what you think?" Asuka said as Endymion attacked Mother Grizzly, slicing it in half with arcane power. "It's true, I want to win; what duellist doesn't dream in their heart of victory, of reaching the top and being the best?" As Mother Grizzly's effect activated and brought forth Cure Mermaid from Asuka's deck, the veil created by Endymion's Citadel lifted briefly, allowing Judai and the others to witness the duel and the duellists in full. "And while I may have forgotten, while I may have lost perspective, I am not too proud to admit that Judai helped me remember the truth." The Asuka of the Light narrowed her eyes in discontent, becoming wary of what was to come. "Yes, the one that you, and thus I, wanted to dismiss as childish, reminded me of the real reason I duel, the reason that I came here to Duel Academia."

"To duel." The Asuka of the Light said with a growl as she began to fade away. "Victory or defeat, it's all secondary to you now. Duelling for the sake of duelling, duelling as the expression of your soul..." The Asuka of the Light now sported a benign smile as her form began to change, her long blond hair turning black, her face becoming older, weary and world-worn. Mizuchi now stood before her in the same Miko ensemble that she wore back at the KC EVRC. "Your power, it truly is beyond my ability, and even my brother's, to foresee or control. But, you who stand outside of fate, know that for the sake of the world of the Light, that I will use whatever means are necessary to fulfill that destiny." And with a flash of light and a cloud of darkness, Mizuchi vanished from the vision of Asuka's mind's eye.

"Asuka...that was awesome!" Judai shot his fist into the air to punctuate his declaration, and the others showed their mutual assent in their own way, though Edo and Rei were noticeably more confused about what had just transpired; it seemed as though even with everything that had happened, they were still unable to see the spirits and the supernatural the way the rest of them could. It was something that would definitely need to be investigated later, but Asuka knew that now was not the time.

"Thanks Judai, I'll finish this off soon, and then we can celebrate with a party!" She turned back to Shou, who was visibly unnerved as Cure Mermaid restored 800 of Asuka's life points while Armor EXE crumbled away, as Shou was unwilling to pay the cost to keep him around in place of the ensured immortality of Endymion. "For my turn I set one card, and then I activate my spell card, Frozen Suspension." Judai cheered at the sight of one of the cards he gave to Asuka being played. Sheets of ice began to cover the surface of the citadel, and even the runes slowed and stopped as they floated in their arrays. And then, it all vanished, as the Magical Citadel of Endymion flipped over, face down by the will of the Frost Tiger. "By removing a water monster in my grave from play, I can set one card you control for the rest of the game."

"Bah! It doesn't matter, because Endymion still has the power to crush you utterly!" His calm composure broken, Shou drew his card with a terrible fury as the power within him began to leak out. "I discard Magical Blast from my hand to activate Endymion's effect and destroy your Cure Mermaid!"

"Trap card activate, Water Trade; by sacrificing a water monster on my field, I can special summon a water monster of equal or lower level in attack. Come forth, Knight of Ice!" The knight leaped into battle, and Judai smiled at the sight of another card that he'd given; he felt as though his soul was now fighting alongside Asuka's.

"A meaningless stepping stone that will soon be overcome! Endymion, attack Knight of Ice!" Endymion's magic blasted through Knight of Ice and slammed into Asuka, but she did not give in to that power, not least of all because of the backing of her friends. "You have nothing left, while I can continually return Magical Blast to my hand to destroy any monster you summon, or any trap that you set for me."

"Well then, I'll just have to make sure that you don't get that chance. I'll start my turn by activating Knight of Ice's effect, removing it and Cure Mermaid from my grave to draw two cards. Next, I play Ritual Foregone, paying one thousand life points to special summon Cyber Angel Dakini from my hand." The goddess appeared, and with divine alacrity it struck, destroying Endymion utterly.

"Don't forget Asuka, the monster summoned by Ritual Foregone can't attack, and it will be destroyed at the end of the turn. Good progress, but it'll be trivial for me to finish off your remaining seven hundred life points."

"You're only half right Shou; while Cyber Angel Dakini can't attack, I can still sacrifice her to bring forth my monster, gifted to me by Judai, Fog King!" A heavily armoured figure, yet light on its feet and surrounded by faint wisps of vapour, Fog King possessed a virtually non-existent attack power of 0. "By Fog King's effect, he gains an attack power equal to the monster sacrificed for his summon." Fog King unsheathed his sword, and assumed the battle posture of Cyber Angel Dakini, taking with him her 2700 attack points. "Fog King, attack directly!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Mere moments before the decisive blow was struck, the Light in Shou's eyes vanished utterly, revealing the wide-eyed shock that was previously left unseen. The sword was driven through his heart, and as it punched through his back a huge gout of Light was released, swiftly escaping from the duelling hall. Shou collapsed to his knees, his face an enigma, as though he were searching for the right expression for his feelings and not finding it. "I...I'm a great duellist, my sister would have been proud of me; Ryoko, please, tell me that you would have done the same, tell me you would have accepted his help to reach your true potential, tell me!" Now the sorrowful tears flowed. Judai and Asuka walked up to their friend together.

"Hey," Asuka said as she stuck her hand out. "Your sister will always be proud of you; wherever she is now, she can do it because she knows that you're so strong that she doesn't need to stray here and hold you back anymore."

"That's right." Judai said he put his hand out beside Asuka's. "And besides, if you're ever really worried, you know you can count on us to help out; you don't need someone like Saiou filling your head full of his ideas about what you are and what you're supposed to be doing. No one can decide any of that but you."

Shou looked up at them, wiped the tears away, and took their hands. "You, you said there was going to be a celebration, right?" Judai nodded, smiling with his eyes. "A party, right?" Asuka did the same as Judai. "Will there...will there be cake?"

"Of course! We would never lie about that!"

"As well you shouldn't." Everyone turned at the new voice, and saw Principal Samejima making her way into the duelling hall. Everyone, exempting Edo and Manjoume, crowded around Samejima. "Now, while there is still a lot to be done and to be discussed, tonight we celebrate beneath the veil of stars in the land of shadows."


	31. Chapter 31

**Gathering Beneath the Starlit Sky**

"So there we were." Professor Chronos said to the crowd of students gathered around him in the Obelisk Blue dorm, just in front of the fireplace to maximize dramatic effect. "Surrounded by the Association of Light patrol, nothing we did could stick to them, and they'd managed to take down half our numbers. I could see in my students' eyes the look of despair, and I knew that if nothing were said or done, then we would all be done for good! So I stepped forward, and declared to those cultists that I would lay my life, my heart, my mind, and my very soul on the line to erect a fortress against which they could not claim one more soul for their perverse purpose; for the sake of all the students who deserve the chance to walk on their own two feet and see by their own personal light, I would not fail my precious students!" Professor Chronos had really gotten into it, infusing the storytelling with the energy he'd felt at that moment of the story that he was just then telling, and it seemed as though that energy was reaching the students. Many of them were there when it happened, yet they waited, pensively awaiting the outcome of Professor Chronos's tale. "And after that, it seems that my words were so powerful, so full of the burning spirit that I'd known in my youth, that the hold of the Association of Light was broken in an instant, and the battle won!" A hollering cheer was let loose from the lips of the students, and a light clapping joined their voices.

"Very well done indeed, Professor Chronos." Professor Hibiki said with an amused smile on her face. Professor Chronos jerked back in shock, his face expressing his nervous condition perfectly. "From the sound of it, you could probably walk right up to Takuma Saiou and convince him of the error of his ways." Professor Chronos took a step back and tugged at his collar as though the temperature of the room had suddenly risen ten degrees.

"Well, Professor Hibiki, you have to keep in mind that, that I was acting under inspiration. Yes! It was a once in a lifetime miracle, and while I would act without hesitation if I believed that I could summon that inspiration to the field once more, it is not as though it's a magic glowing card that I can put on top of my deck at will whenever I want, if you understand me." Professor Chronos's smile had a desperate air to it, and by this point he'd managed to make his way away from the students who only moments ago he'd enraptured so effectively. A goodly number were snickering, while few spoke quietly to themselves something along the lines of 'poor guy'.

"Oh Professor Chronos," Professor Hibiki said with a sigh of amusement, "what are we going to do with you?" She said this as though addressing a particularly disobedient student, a subtext that Professor Chronos did not find amusing in the slightest.

"Humph, I don't believe that there is anything that needs to be done at all; while some of us may have a strong foundation of natural talent to support us, others of us have had to work hard and develop a spirit of strength that can inspire others to exceed their own limits…Professor Hibiki?" The amusement of a moment ago had abandoned Midori Hibiki, while a familiar melancholy now rested within her. The moment of realization of the faux pas he'd committed struck him like a hammer, but by this point it was a familiar sensation, so recovered from it quickly. "Ah, yes. Forgive me my stupidity, Professor Hibiki, I'll be going now." Professor Chronos departed before Midori could say anything, not that there was anything she wanted to say.

Midori's thoughts were now of her brother, whose condition remained unchanged. Shortly before Judai recovered from Mizuchi's attack, she suddenly had the impression that he'd recovered, but a quick call to the hospital confirmed that nothing had happened. "Mizuchi…" Midori found herself scowling at the thought of the woman; while Takuma carried a banner of Light that drew all attention to him, Mizuchi walked in the wake of her brother's shadow, performing whatever deeds she deemed necessary to facilitate hers and her Brother's plans, demonstrating no hesitation or doubt no matter what. And when she did start showing herself, she always had four duelists, her apostles, acting as her vanguard, denying Mizuchi the chance to face her for what she'd done to Judai. "Mizuchi, when we break down your barriers, I will see to it that you pay for what you did; it doesn't matter what Samejima said, I will never forgive you."

* * *

"Principal Samejima." Samejima turned to face Edo, who carried himself in a manner that suggested that much of the anger and bitterness that had so recently consumed him was gone. Not all though, and for good reason. "There are some things I need to ask, but before I can, I need to apologize." Samejima looked down to the young pro duelist, and then took a seat so they could look each other in the eye. "At the ceremony, after my parents died, you and everyone here tried to reach out to me. Asuka tried to explain to me what I was doing, but the truth was I didn't hear it, because I didn't want to hear it. It almost cost me dearly, and it was only by the greatest of fortunes that my journey has turned out as it has." Edo's eyes became determined. "But my journey isn't over yet, and I've heard from the others that you…that you managed to infiltrate Saiou's psyche. Normally I'd be furious with you, engaging in such a flagrant invasion of my oldest friend's privacy, but considering that as of late he has not been acting at all the friend I knew…or he has never been the friend I thought I knew."

Samejima's lips upturned a small smile. "You are right to be worried about your friend, and from what I saw of his memories of you, there is no cause to worry that his friendship with you was false."

"I suppose that's good to hear. So then, what can you tell me? Why is Takuma doing all this? Why did his sister Mizuchi hide herself in the shadows, operating in secret? What, what could have driven him to try and control everyone?" The desperation in his voice was plain to hear for Principal Samejima.

"Edo, I trust you've heard from Momiji about his relationship with the Saiou's?" Edo nodded. "Well, after that, events were foggy, but there was a great deal of repetition; Takuma and Mizuchi wandered from town to town, using their talents as best they could to both support themselves, and to help those that they could. Time and again, they met with someone who refused to accept the fortune they were told, and in the course of defending themselves, they were forced to flee and try again. Countless repetitions of this same story, time and again and again; it doesn't surprise me that the Saiou's decided to try and claim control over their fates, and ours."

"…I had no idea." Edo found his mind pouring over the memories of what Maria Croix had told him, of how she was willing to lie, to steal, and to kill in order to claim some control over her life. "I've seen Saiou perform fortunes for others, and they never became angry with him, were never anything but grateful for his guidance. Just like the original fortune he told me when we first met, he must have hidden the truth to shelter me, to keep me from experiencing the pain of the world. And yet, he didn't just know and hide from me that knowledge; he conspired against my family, and helped bring about the fate that he desired."

"And in so doing, he created in you the martyr of justice under whom the Association of Light would swell and grow with pride. To facilitate the creation of his world, his world of Light and Unity, Saiou determined that the death of your parents was the necessary cost. He has steeled himself thoroughly, and he has allowed neither what he has done to you, nor what his sister has done to herself for him, to affect his heart and his determination to see his dream come true."

"And what has his sister done? Mizuchi, I hardly know her, but in the few glimpses I've seen of her here, after her duel with Judai, she's always surrounded by those Apostles of hers. Where did she find them?"

"That, I cannot say. Shortly before Takuma met with you, Mizuchi travelled out on her own, and she would only contact her brother through her mirrors. But whatever it is that she has done, wherever it was that she found her Apostles and made them her servants and guardians, Takuma is certain. He is certain that she will not be able to walk into the world of Light that they are creating for us. I wish there was more that I could say, but in order to find the complete truth, we will have to face Mizuchi, and break through the defenses that she has erected around herself."

"I see. Thank you Principal Samejima. You've given me a lot to think about, and when the time comes, I will make full use of the legacy of my parents, and bring an end to this shining nightmare." Edo bowed before Principal Samejima and walked away. Once again, Edo was finding that the more he learned, the more he realized how very little he realized about the truth of the world he lived in, and how nothing was so black and white as to provide cause for a simplistic narrative of good versus evil, of light versus darkness. It was a hard path, but he knew in his heart that for Takuma and Mizuchi's sake, he would pursue it to the very end.

* * *

"Junko, Shou, relax, this is supposed to be a party, a celebration of what we've all managed to accomplish today!" Misawa declared loudly as he gave each of them a firm pat on the back. "Even Momiji here's started getting into the spirit of things, and you know how he usually is." Indeed, Momiji was carrying around a small collection of insects and plants that he'd gathered from the forest earlier in the year, many of them specimens of species that one would not believe indigenous to the local biome of the island. Most of the Ra Yellow students who'd been freed from the Association of Light were gathered around him, inquiring after as many details as Momiji would offer. Momiji's manner was different from the usual, but in a slight, subtle way, a difference that could only be seen by those who knew him well, like Misawa.

"It's pretty easy for you to say Misawa," Shou said in a dower voice, "I mean, after Momiji saved you, you were able to piece together important information and help pave the path for Judai, Rei, and Edo to save us. I've been out of it for most of the year, converting students and pro duelists to Takuma Saiou's cause. Hell, if you think about it, I don't even belong here in Ra Yellow; I only made it against Manjoume because of the cards Saiou gave me, so it wasn't even really me dueling then."

"And I," Junko said with an air of frustration, "I was brainwashed by proxy just after him; I swear, Takuma must have been feeding information to Mizuchi for her to have timed her actions so perfectly. And right after that, that was when Takuma really started stepping up the recruitment for his cult." She sighed a sigh of release. "It would be my luck that my one big accomplishment this year would be to act as a stepping stone in the plans of a pair of mad siblings, wouldn't it? I couldn't even manage to stand apart from Momoe while in the damn Association."

"I understand the difficulty you two are facing." Shou and Junko turned to the sudden utterance that Momiji had made, having at some point made his way from the other students over to them. "The feeling of the sensation of being shadowed always; I hid myself, and I thought it was because I was apart from everything and everyone, but in truth it was because I didn't really grasp what it was that I was, and where I could stand in the scheme of things if I so chose. Don't worry; I know you two will be able to figure it out before the night is out. Call it an intuition of the earth. Huh, I wonder…" Momiji then wandered off, as though following a trail that only he could see through some unknown forest.

"You see?" Misawa said with a cheery smile on his face as he gave Shou and Junko a firm pat on the back. "So many layers and surprises to that guy; makes me really glad that we reached out to each other like this and got through it all together." Misawa then departed to follow after Momiji.

"Huh," Junko said to herself, "I did kind of suspect it was kind of like that; good for them." Junko then turned to Shou. "So what do you think? Are you going to be returning back to Osiris Red after this is over, or do you plan on proving that you belong here with me, Misawa, and Momiji?"

"Well…" Shou thought about his answer carefully; he knew he wanted to say that he was going to stay in Ra Yellow, stay one step closer to where his sister was, but he couldn't count his duels while in the Association of Light, not if he was being honest to himself. And yet… "I'm going to find a way to prove that I belong here Junko; I'm going to find a way to really help in the fight against the Association of Light, and demonstrate that I don't need their power."

"That's a great answer Shou." Junko said as she examined her own uniform. "And while I may have missed my chance to advance this year, I'm going to hold my ground, and show the world that I belong here, and that there's no shame to be found in Ra Yellow." She then stuck out her hand to Shou. "Let's shake, and promise to make our convictions a reality." The two Ra Yellow students shook on it, and awaited the moment in which they would be able to act as themselves on the battle field once more.

* * *

"It seems as though you've dropped your crush on Judai altogether now." Rei turned around, away from Judai and Asuka as they walked out of the Obelisk Blue dorm into the open air of the night, and towards Jun Manjoume. She noticed that his hand rested upon his arm where the armband of the Association of Light once was. "That was a very wise move; Fubuki may believe in the full and free expression of love in all its forms, but somehow I imagine that he would find cause for exception if you were to interfere in Asuka's choice and happiness; hell, if I could contact him now and tell him what the Association did, he'd have those Saiou bastards finished in a matter of seconds." Manjoume paused, noticing how Rei was looking at him questioningly.

"You mentioned Fubuki before, right after Asuka defeated you. He must be really, really important to you." The tone of her voice left Manjoume visibly unnerved.

"Are…are you a yaoi fangirl?" Rei's eyes grew wide in shock, and then she laughed nervously.

"Oh my…did I really sound like that? Wow, that would be embarrassing. I mean, I've got friends back home who are big time yaoi fangirls, but I never really got what the big deal was. Umm, I just meant that he seemed to be an inspiration for you the way Tarou was for me. I didn't mean to imply anything that wasn't really there or anything like that."

"Now hold on a second Rei!" Manjoume took a moment to compose himself. "While I may not make a practice of proclaiming my feelings to the heavens, the fact is that Fubuki is both an inspiration to me and someone I love quite dearly. Obviously, my relationship with Fubuki is very different from your relationship to your cousin in at least that one aspect."

"…Oh. " Rei had a very distinct blush of embarrassment on her face. "Yeah, doi!" Rei bopped herself on the head for emphasis. Her expression then took a turn for the dour. "Can I ask you something Manjoume? I mean, it's been almost a year since the last time you've seen Fubuki, so how can you know that you're still in his heart? I mean, a lot of stuff could happen in the time he's been gone, and he might come back completely different, forgetting about you all together. I mean, wouldn't it be sensible for you to be prepared to move on without him?" Manjoume looked blankly upon Rei, and then a flash of understanding came upon him.

"Tarou…I actually managed to speak to him for a bit while I was in the Association of Light. Whatever happened to him he kept close to his heart, but I do know for certain that his concern for you, his worry for your future and the impact his actions have had and will have upon it, that these things are genuine."

"Are you serious?" Rei's eyes narrowed with skepticism. "You're not telling me this because you think that's what I want to hear, right?"

"If that were the case, I may as well have stayed in the Association of Light. But in the end, my words aren't important; what matters is that when the time comes, that you be able to confront your cousin with a unified mind and heart. Because believe you me, his conviction, misplaced though it may be, is true.

"Ah, I suppose you're right Manjoume. You know, you're pretty smart for an upperclassman. Maybe if you weren't already taken, I could get a crush on you…psyche! But seriously, thanks Manjoume. I suppose I ought to get to work on psyching myself up for the task at hand; wouldn't want to wimp out at the key moment, now would I?" Rei gave Manjoume a wink and a jab on the arm and made her way elsewhere in the Obelisk Blue dorm.

"…Now if I could just convince myself of my own words, then we'd be somewhere." Manjoume took out his deck, and drew out the Light and Darkness Dragon. "You saw better than I did, the truth of what I was doing. Can I truly ask you to stand at my side once more, after standing against me to save me from myself?" Manjoume put his deck away, and put on a mask of pleasantries, much the same way that Fubuki did in the previous year.

"Oi, Momoe!" Momoe had been partying with one of the rescued senior girls; at least she seemed to be having a genuinely good time.

* * *

"Here we are again Asuka." Judai and Asuka now stood within a familiar copse, the place that served as the site for many significant events for the two of them in the previous year. "It feels like it's been forever since you and I've been able to be alone together like this."

"I know what you mean Judai." Asuka reached out and took hold of the tree under which The Terror of Death had revealed itself to them in the previous year. "Good and bad, weal and woe, all these things and more we've faced together. While I was in the Association of Light, I was convinced that I could follow a path that would only ever lead to victory, and that you were incapable of walking that path with me; saying it out loud like that, it's obvious how stupid that idea was, but after that duel with the Apostle of Water, with Rei's cousin Tarou, I honestly began to believe it. Even though his life points were reduced to zero, I was the one who lost that match; mine was the conviction that was shaken by the duel, and it cost me dearly. I know I said it before Judai, but I'm sorry for what I did, for abandoning and hurting you like that, for turning myself into a tool through which the Saious could fulfill their ambitions."

"Hey." Judai reached out, and placed his hand upon Asuka's. "There's no need to beat yourself up over all that, okay? First of all, everything worked out in the end, so there's nothing to even apologize for. Next, this isn't over yet, so any mistakes that were made can still be fixed. And third…" Judai sighed. "The fact is that I screwed up pretty big too. I mean, talk about unreliable; I helped push you down the path you took, lost against Mizuchi and I would have been gone for good if it hadn't been for Kouyou," Asuka narrowed one eye quizzically, but decided not to interrupt, "and when I came to rescue you, it was me who needed to be rescued in the end. Really, you think about it, I'm…!"

Asuka silenced Judai with a kiss, and then ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling it. "You know, you're cute when you're trying to be angsty, but it really doesn't suit you." Judai laughed lightly as he responded.

"You really think so? And I thought I was doing a great job of it there!" The two then laughed more earnestly and openly then before. "But in all seriousness Asuka, we all make mistakes. There's just no way in the world that meeting you, befriending you, and, well, falling in love with you, could ever be a mistake for me. I don't ever think I've ever met anyone who's as fun as you!" Asuka laughed at that, the idea of someone regarding her as 'more fun' then anyone else.

"Well Judai, I think I can say without fear of exception that you," she said, punctuated by a light finger poke on Judai's chest, "are by far the most earnest and devoted duelist I've ever met, and I will never again regret my feelings for you." The two laughed, finding that after all the stress of recent events it was difficult to keep emotions bottled up.

"Asuka, I was wondering." Judai said as he wiped away a tear of joy. "When the school year is over, assuming everything works out, would you like to…!" Judai was silenced as Asuka put her hand over his mouth, silently shushing him. He suddenly noticed Kuriboh floating over Asuka's shoulder, and felt the presence of Winged Kuriboh over his. The two spirits combined their powers, and they showed Judai and Asuka the Obelisk Blue dorm being consumed by the Light, tiny motes of darkness within being consumed with every passing moment. The vision passed, and Judai saw the concern welling in Asuka's eyes.

"Come on Judai, we have to hurry back, now!" As Asuka was about to grab his arm and pull him in the right direction, a sudden flash of light washed over them, a physical light for once; standing just outside the copse was a woman with pale white hair and an armband the same color. In one hand she held a flashlight of unbelievable intensity, and around her other arm was a duel disc.

"That's enough time spent in the darkness; the two of you belong to the light, and it is my duty to bring you back into the fold." The woman armed her duel disc, and her eyes began to glow with their own radiance. "I am Heather Fillmore, second rank in the mid-west North American division, and for the Association of Light I descend into this darkness, bearing the Light!"


	32. Chapter 32

**Counterattack, Counteroffensive of the Twilight!**

"So many souls so eager to return to the Light, despite their protests to the contrary; I could hardly ask for a more delicious irony." The tall, dark skinned duelist said as he continued to grin, looking Manjoume directly in the eye. "And look, it's my old friend from the KC EVRC, Jun Manjoume. How poetic indeed for our positions to be reversed in this manner, don't you think?"

"The only significance to this reunion is that it gives me an early opportunity to prove myself as someone who exists beyond the limitations of the Association of Light." As the two duelists circled around one another, the battle around them continued; over a dozen professional duelists had burst through the doorway into the Obelisk Blue dorm, all wearing the armband of the Association of Light, and as one they challenged the students. One student, a first year Ra Yellow, refused them entirely, and was subsequently declared to have forfeited his match. His collapse and rise as a member of the Association of Light once more signaled to everyone that the only option was to duel.

"Beyond the limitations of the Association of Light?" The pro-league duelist said with an amused grin. "Quite the opposite of the tune that you used to dance to when we dueled the last time, Jun Manjoume; striking down my mightiest monsters with that Dragon of the Emperor's Light, your very soul itself fully conveyed the limitless strength granted to you by the Association of Light. Having been so educated at your very hand, it would be remiss on my part if I, Zachariah Quinn, did not return the favor, and returned you, oh fallen one, back to your rightful place in the Light." As Zachariah armed his duel disc, his grin grew until it threatened to split his face in two. "Take your turn, that I may demonstrate the power that you oh so foolishly allowed to slip through your fingers, and remove from you your prideful arrogance that has set you adrift in the Dark, away from the comfort of the Light."

"Tch, I don't recall you being quite so loquacious before, but I'll gladly get this over with, using my true power, my true soul! I summon Masked Dragon in defense mode, set one card, and end my turn."

"Oh, Manjoume, you've no idea how unfortunate that summon of yours was; anything else, and you would already be dead on this very turn, able to abandon this false independence of yours immediately. But, I suppose as it is my duty to fulfill my fate; not that I would ever choose otherwise in my current condition." Zachariah's grin narrowed slightly as he drew "Knowing as I do that your trap is nothing to fear, I start my turn by playing Advanced Ritual Art, sending the level four Gene Warped Warwolf from my deck to the grave to Ritual Summon Cu Chulainn the Awakened One in attack mode." A warrior girded in heavy armor, his fierce yet softly defined face conveyed a palpable sense of weakness despite his spear, confirmed by his 500 attack point total.

"Oh yes, that was indeed Impressive; remove from play a normal monster in your grave to give Cu Chulainn an attack power boost equal to that monster's attack power until your next standby phase." Manjoume flashed a smirk to counter Zachariah's grin. "I've seen far worse, from far better duelists then you."

"Oh, do not speak with such haste Manjoume! It takes time for the power of the Light to reveal itself, and the fool who dismisses the workings of fate for a short term failure brought about by their own pride do not deserve that grace; yet, the Light is inviolate, and you will be in the place that fate has decreed for you, Manjoume, and I will be the one to serve as the very hand of Light! I activate Preparations for the Ritual; with this, I can add a Ritual Monster of seventh level or lower from my deck to my hand, and then I add a Ritual spell card from my grave back to my hand; in this manner, I add another Cu Chulainn from my deck to my hand, and once more activate Advanced Ritual Art to send another Gene Warped Warwolf from my deck to the grave and Ritual summon the second Cu Chulainn to the field. And before that's over with, I activate Magical Stone Excavation to discard my two remaining cards and add Preparations for the Ritual back to my hand, repeating my summon for the third time, completing the rule of three!" Three legendary warriors now stood together, and as they crossed their spears, the spirits of the warwolves appeared before them. The hounds of Chulainn skewered them with their spears, and following that a strange change began to overtake them.

The muscles of their arms and chests began to swell, achieving such size that their vambraces, their gauntlets, even their breast plates, it all burst away, revealing layer upon layer of thick muscle. An electric presence made itself known around them, causing the hair of those warriors to stand on end, each end distinct and visible. Most harrowing however was the change that came over their eyes. One eye would open wide, wider, and wider still, until it seemed as though it would consume their entire face, while the other eye narrowed to a pinprick of light, and the feral grin that overtook the warriors forever banished any sense of softness or weakness from Manjoume's mind. In form and deed, the warriors were now as hounds for their lord.

"Now, Cu Chulainn the first, attack Masked Dragon; Feat of the Fallen Spear." The first hound reared back, and threw his spear high into the air, breaking through the ceiling high above the duelists. Cu Chulainn the Awakened One then leaped after his spear, rising even faster, and upon grabbing it he turned it down towards the Masked Dragon and struck with all the force of a meteorite. Just as it all seemed over, thirty barbs shot out from the spear, embedding themselves deep into Manjoume for 1400 points of damage. He cried out in real pain, the assault upon his mind and soul visceral to his every sense. "I imagine that wandering in the dark as you have been, you are now confused as to why you hurt so much, which if you think about it, is truly bizarre; stumbling blindly in the dark, trying to defy fate, can bring nothing but pain, a lesson you taught me yourself, Manjoume. But to make it easy for you to understand in your condition, one of the cards I discarded was Ritual Devil Valerfos, and by removing him in the grave from play during the battle phase, on this turn my Ritual Monsters can penetrate the defense power of your monsters. Now, do you understand your misfortune, Manjoume? Do you see now how you could have avoided this humiliation, this pain, if you'd simply obeyed the dictates of the Light, and defeated Judai as you were meant to, thus forever remaining in the seat of The Emperor? Do you not see now how your feelings for the dark one, the brother to the one who stood in the seat of Judgment, clouded your will, and led you to this place, this time that was not meant to be?"

"…I special summon another Masked Dragon from my deck in attack mode." Manjoume grimaced with one eye shut tight, but with the arrival of his next monster, he swore that he wasn't going to give up like this. "If glaring straight into the sun without any shade to protect you is your conception of safety and vision, then I truly taught from a faulty lesson plan indeed. Go on, continue this attack upon monsters and my soul, but do not believe that I will not overcome this adversity. I, whose soul combines virtues and vices you couldn't begin to grasp in your condition!"

"If that is the woe you wish to be woven upon you, so be it. My second hound; Feat of the Torn Trench." The second Cu Chulainn the Awakened one drove his spear into the ground with a terrible fury, splitting the ground asunder beneath the dragon's feet. The earth twisted about until it arose above the dragon and fell upon it, pinning it down for Cu Chulainn's attack, and once more the thirty barbs made their way into Manjoume's flesh. All this was mere illusion, the product of the Solid Vision system, and yet the visceral sensation of pain was almost overwhelming to Manjoume.

"I special summon my third Masked Dragon in attack mode." Manjoume had to choke the words out, but he got them out, and his cards responded as he knew they would.

"Now, my third hound, strike; Feat of Rending Speed." Cu Chulainn the Awakened One grabbed the spears from the hands of his fellow hounds and brought all three together in a bundle. He pulled one out and threw it into the Masked Dragon's right wing and hind leg. Then, not even a moment later, he did the same to the left wing and hind leg, fully paralyzing the dragon. And with the third spear, he ran it through the dragon's body, and when the barbs emerged, the beast exploded in great fleshy chunks. All this, in less than a second.

"…I summon Totem Dragon to the field, in defense mode." Manjoume found himself wincing as he spoke, one eye shut in an effort to close out the pain.

"You're on the edge of the abyss, in the midst of a ford that's growing ever deeper Manjoume." Zachariah's words grew in intensity and earnestness. "Return to us Manjoume, return back to the Light, and do your part to show us all the way. Remember your glory, remember the joy of the assured victory!"

"The glory?" Manjoume drew himself up. "The assured victory?" Manjoume glared with both eyes wide open. "What glory can be found in giving up all pride, and accepting a prescribed path that offers no challenge at all? You've had your time to speak, but now it's my turn! I sacrifice my Totem Dragon, who acts as two sacrifices, to summon from my hand Dark End Dragon!" The roar that emerged from both mouths of Manjoume's great dragon shook the conviction of Zachariah's warriors, and shattered the illusory damage committed against the ground and air. "Pay close attention, Zachariah, for this power comes from not just walking through hell, but accepting it! To have only heaven in one's soul, and no hell, would be like having a magnet with only one pole; it can't be done! Dark End Dragon, attack the first Cu Chulainn!" The dark fog rushed forth from the dragon's upper mouth, and tore apart the first warrior for 100 points of damage. "And now you face the wrath of my trap, Darkness Devastation; when a dark attribute monster I control destroys a monster in battle, I can discard a level four or lower monster from my hand to deal damage equal to that monster's attack power. Therefore, by discarding Rare Metal Dragon from my hand, I deal another twenty-four hundred damage to you." Dark End Dragon's aura grew, and spread out over Zachariah, briefly lifting him up in the air before dropping him back down.

"And don't think it ends there; now I activate Dark End Dragon's effect, and reduce its attack power by five hundred to send your second Cu Chulainn straight to the grave. Dark Evaporation!" The mouth on Dark End Dragon's stomach opened up, and unleashed a pure black that warped the second hound's body, twisting it about before warping it away entirely. "Now, I set one card to end my turn."

"A capable comeback indeed, Manjoume, but the Light promised me that I would receive a worthy challenge, a proof of my conviction and prowess; to see your diminished strength reach this far is good, but the Light's strength is infinite! First, I activate Dearth of the Normal; I send the top five cards from my deck to the grave, and for every normal so sent, I can draw one card." Manjoume watched closely at each card that fell into death's domain; Vorse Raider, Negate Attack, Divine Wrath, Fulfillment of Contract, and another Vorse Raider. "Next, I summon from my hand Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, whose effect allows me to add the Ritual Spell Card Holy Calling of the Father to my hand, and now I play it, sending Cu Chulainn and Manju to the grave, while removing Ritual Devil Presider from the grave to Ritual Summon the level nine High King Lugh, the Father of the Hound in attack mode!"

"What, remove from the grave!?" Manjoume had never heard of such a method of Ritual Summoning. He watched as the father appeared, taking the place of the son. A long shock of brown hair, light clothing that would not impede movement, a sling in one hand, and buried deep in a draught of pounded poppy seeds, a spear that seemed to writhe with bloodlust of its own.

"That's right, that's the kind of power that the Light brings me, but as you know, it's nothing compared to the power you used to wield. Surrender now, bow down before the High King, that you may once more resume the place of The Emperor and channel once more the power that you were born and bred to wield! Don't you remember Manjoume, the fate that awaited you? Control of the Manjoume group itself will be yours! Backed by the power of the Light, your brother's can't stop you from claiming what is yours, from demonstrating that you are the only heir to your parent's legacy that matters. Focus Manjoume, give up on the meaningless struggle that will inevitably falter and decline, and accept the certain path of victory!"

"That's enough! I told you before, a predetermined victory means nothing to me now!" Manjoume clenched his fist to his heart. "Without the painful sting of defeat, potential and realized, it is impossible to ascend. It is a hard lesson to learn, to accept, but Fubuki was able to realize it. And if he, that lazy, free-spirited fool, if he can figure something like that out, then I would be remiss if I failed in accepting the same! Go ahead, attack, but I will not let it end here!"

"Oh, but you will Manjoume! You see, while Lugh may start with an attack power of zero, the process of attacking gives him twice the attack power of the monster that he attacks, and he can't be targeted by spells or traps! Thus, the trap you set is nothing to fear! High King Lugh, unleash the wrath of Brionac upon the upstart dragon!" The spear wrenched itself into the air, and rushed forth of its own accord. It was malicious in its attacks, ripping and tearing into Dark End Dragon without mercy, slicing lacerations of pain without end. Yet through it all, Manjoume did not flinch.

"Unfortunately, my trap card, Glimmering Light in the Darkness, does not target your monster; by sending a Light attribute monster from my hand to the grave, I can reduce my battle damage this turn by that monster's attack power, and if that monster's attack power should exceed the battle damage, I can draw two cards during the end phase." Light End Dragon roared as it joined Dark End Dragon in the grave, their mutual presence serving to shield their master.

"And speaking of drawing cards, because I removed Presider for Lugh's Ritual Summon, he gains the effect of letting me draw a card whenever I destroy a monster of yours by battle. And I think I'll go ahead activate it, the continuous spell card, Reprisal of the Light; so long as I control a Ritual light monster on the field, I can remove a monster in my grave from play to destroy your monster on the field whenever it attacks and deal damage equal to its attack points, and during my battle phase I can special summon a monster in my grave to your side of the field in attack mode. Thus, the absolute assurance of the Light's victory is guaranteed."

"Do you really think so?" As Manjoume reached for his new card, he felt the pulsing of his soul, of two souls joining as one despite their divided and different natures. "I activate the effect of my Totem Dragon in the grave during my standby phase, allowing me to special summon it to the field, and then I sacrifice it to summon Light and Darkness Dragon, my only partner, the true reflection of my soul!" Light and Darkness Dragon roared, scales of shadow on the right, scales of light on the left. To Manjoume, her presence now in his time of need was proof enough that he'd found his way once more. Never again would he stray from his path of pride, this he swore to both his dragon, and to Fubuki. "By Light and Darkness Dragon's effect, it automatically negates spells, traps, and monster effects by reducing its own attack power by five hundred points." The reprisal of the light was fierce, but the Dark Baptism was absolute in its denial. "Now, Shining Breath, and finish this!" Zachariah Quinn collapsed as his monster was destroyed. Manjoume watched, but was surprised when the man did not rise of his own accord. He examined the pro-league duelists' eyes, and found them blank, empty. He was however far too drained from that vicious battle, and already the adrenaline was fading. As Manjoume fell to his knee, he knew he had to trust in his peers and his friends to carry on the battle for him.


	33. Chapter 33

**Standing Alone in the Pale Moonlight.**

"So, Miss Makita," The towering spindly built man said as he stood over Junko, the frame of his glasses making his eyes appear inhumanly sharp. "You have been isolated and divided from your friends, and already I can see in you the desire to flee from this state of being." Junko stood with the wall behind her, and blocking her exit from the second floor east hallway of the Obelisk Blue dorm, was a pro duelist named Theodore Beauregard, 2nd ranking in Europe. Everything about him was regimented, with strong bold patterns defining his outfit. "But at the same time I can see your stubborn resistance to returning to the enlightened state that you once knew. It seems a quick reminder is in order, so I will take the first turn of this duel." He then leaped back, still blocking the way out of the hall, and lowered into a posture that drew on years of martial training. "I summon X-Head Cannon in attack mode, and set four cards to end my turn. Next turn, I will remind you of the power of unity that you knew just a matter of hours ago, and then you will see the Light."

"Good. I was wondering when you'd be done; it was getting really tedious." Junko said in an effort to rid herself of some of her tension, but it wasn't working; even now, even after everything that had happened and all the promises that she'd made, a part of her could still remember the feeling of the Association of Light. It was an irrational and insane, illusory sensation, one that she knew to be an artificial creation of Takuma Saiou, and yet…of all things she hated being alone and left behind, and that was one thing that never happened in the Association of Light, even if it was fake. Junko realized that this feeling, this clinging to an ideal illusion of herself, was her true enemy in this duel, and she would overcome it. "I summon Bountiful Artemis in defense mode, and I set four cards of my own to end my turn." As the synthetic angel appeared on the field, its metal wings spreading inward over its body, Junko felt a wave of pressure issuing forth from Theodore, as though his aura had taken physical form.

"How very interesting; this duel is very, very reminiscent of another, don't you agree Junko? Another pattern unfolds, repeating an old familiar story, don't you think?" As his eyes bored into hers, Junko saw past them and into a duel that she'd faced back at the KC EVRC, one that started off in very nearly the same fashion as this one. And yet… "But you can no longer see that pattern, no longer see how the pieces fit together; your inward confusion has denied you the vision of the Light, but the Light shall make you see again! I begin my turn by playing Graceful charity, drawing three and discarding two. Next I play Equal Loss Equal Gain; I send a monster from my deck to the grave, and then I add another monster card from my deck of the same level or lower. In this manner I lose W-Wing Catapult to add V-Tiger Jet to my hand. Now, let's begin down the path of fate, and bring together the pieces of the true victory, yours and mine!"

"For once I agree! I activate my trap card, Synthetic Seraphim; every time a counter trap card is activated, I can special summon a synthetic seraphim token to the field. Oh, but go ahead, bring out all your union monsters, I'll break them all down and strike in one fell swoop!"

"Oh, if only you could see, not blinded by your inward looking pride…I activate Call of the Haunted to special summon Y-Dragon Head to the field." As the advanced machine arose from the ground, a synthetic celestial choir rang out, as though being generated by some holy synthesizer.

"My counter-trap, Holy Return; when I have an angel monster on the field, I can negate the summon of one monster from the grave. Further, by Bountiful Artemis's effect I draw one card and by Synthetic Seraphim's effect I special summon a synthetic seraphim token in defense mode."

"One down. I now activate Premature Burial, paying eight hundred life points to special summon W-Wing Catapult from my grave to the field." Another machine, combining both advanced and natural aesthetics in its design, tore its way from the underworld.

"Wrong again! I activate my counter-trap, Synthetic Denial; when I control at least two synthetic angels on the field, I can negate the activation of a spell or trap card and destroy it!" The combined holy powers of Bountiful Artemis and Synthetic Seraphim denied W-Wing Catapult's escape from its rightful resting place. "O for two, Theodore. Still convinced that your precious Light will see you to victory here?"

"Don't you mean your Light, Junko?" The smile was slight, but decisive in its cutting power. "After all, even walking in the dark as you are now, you can still count; one trap left for you to use, but I still have two more cards to go. Let's go ahead and cross that final bridge on the path to the Light, shall we?" Theodore stuck out his arm theatrically. "I activate my trap card, Roll Out to special summon Z-Metal Tank as an equip card to X-Head Cannon."

"…Counter Trap activate, Divine Break." Junko refused to let herself believe that this man was speaking the truth; her strength was hers alone, and there was no way that Theodore could use the Light take it from her! "By showing an Angel card in my hand, I can destroy one card as it gets equipped to a monster that you control. Thus, I show my Airknight Parshath and destroy your Z-Metal Tank, returning it back to your grave." The specter of the holy knight was swift and sure in its attack, shattering the base tank in a single blow. "And there you have it; with three counter traps activated, I've drawn three new cards and I've got three tokens out on the field, so next turn I'll be sure to get a big sacrifice summon going and crush your lonely little X-Head Cannon, since you weren't able to get any of his little friends out to play."

"So quick to forget, aren't we Junko?" Theodore said as he took off his glasses to polish them. "Let them see the plain pitfalls, and walk right into the poison dart; wasn't it you who said that, in our previous duel?" Junko's eyes opened wide with shock as the memories rushed back, all of them. "To think, that the mentor would forget the lessons she imparted upon her disciple so quickly…it is the price of inward pride, of looking within the darkness of the self for answers and power, instead of out and into the Light! I summon W-Wing Catapult and activate my trap card, Union Summon; I pay half my life, and return to the field the union monsters that can equip themselves to X-Head Cannon and W-Wing Catapult!"

Junko gaped in horror as the V to Z series of Machine monsters manifested itself on the field. She watched in silence as they performed a complex ballet of disassembling and combining; in the first stage V-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult combined into VW-Tiger Catapult, while X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank merged to become XYZ-Dragon Cannon. But this was only the prelude, as yet even more combinations an interlocking occurred, until at last the great behemoth was complete, the five-in-one machine monster with no equal in its class, the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon. It stood as a colossus, like Go-Lion or Shin Getter Robo, and Junko began to flinch in anticipation of the deadly assault that was in store.

"Now, let's begin the demonstration of the united strength of the Light; I'll use VWXYZ's effect to remove your Synthetic Seraphim trap card from play, and next I'll attack one of your tokens, and with VWXYZ's second effect I switch it to attack mode, allowing me to deal twenty-seven hundred points of damage." The synthetic seraphim dropped its shields, and the cross-dimensional impact of VWXYZ's advanced technology roared past the monster and into Junko, slamming her against the wall. "But do not think this is all, Junko; I now activate my fourth face-down card, Dimensional Explosion, to return VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult to my deck and bring back XYZ-Dragon Cannon and VW-Tiger Catapult to the field, and I use their attacks to destroy your two other tokens." The combination was discontinued, and the disassociated monsters continued the attack, and while they did not have the dimension defying prowess of their superior, their firepower was far more than sufficient to the task. "And now that my battle phase is over, I remove these two from play once more to bring back VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, and once more activate its effect, this time to remove Bountiful Artemis from play." One last time was the dance of technology and power committed to, and once more did dimensions warp, wiping out Junko's field, reducing her power to mere potential unfulfilled.

Junko breathed deeply as she recovered her spirit. "That was impressive, I'll grant you that." A thought occurred to Junko, a new course of attack, desperate, but all she had left to keep herself able to duel against such opposition. "But come on, are you really telling me you couldn't pull off that combo without a pep talk from the Takuma's?" Theodore smiled, and Junko dreaded the words that she already knew were coming.

"If the cards only ever responded to chance and happenstance, that would be true, and that is indeed the exact consequence of looking inward for the truth. But you know better than this; you know that the cards answer the call of the spirit, and the mightier that call, the greater the combo that can be performed. And with so many souls buoying me up, how can I not effortlessly summon up such mighty power as this. Of course, it still is nothing compared to the power that you once called upon, and will call upon once more in mere moments. Go ahead, take your turn, and vindicate my words and conviction."

"Damn it." Junko muttered to herself as she drew her next card, and before she even saw it, she knew what it was; the pulse that rushed through her soul that originated from it was like no other; it was the card that she'd called upon time and again in her time in the Light, her ace card that finished every duel decisively…Voltanis the Adjudicator. Junko's breathing grew shallow and rapid as the memories associated with that card bored their way into her consciousness. She had all the pieces, here in her hand; she could summon that card and win, and yet…it would proof all the wrong things to all the wrong people; to use that card would be to prove that she really couldn't stand on her own, that she didn't have the kind of inner strength that she thought she had…

"Hey, don't you start getting mopey on me." Junko looked up, and saw nothing. "Come on now, you know exactly where I am. Look with closed eyes and you'll see." Junko closed her eyes, and in that darkness found Momoe Hamaguchi standing before her as a pure spirit, unencumbered by false apparel. Junko realized that she too was in the same condition.

"Momoe…I'm sorry to disappoint you like this, after everything we've been through together, but that's just it; if I can't stand on my own, if I can't draw upon my own inner strength, how can I keep my promise to you? How can I look at myself in the mirror, if I can only see me when I'm with you?" Momoe reached out and cupped Junko's face in her hand, stroking it.

"Don't you get it? You need boundaries, you need something to compare against to know that you're there; being alone, or being in a crowd, you get washed away, but when it's just you and me…" Momoe pulled Junko's face in, and kissed. Soft and quick, it said as much as a thousand words.

"…Thank you, Momoe." Momoe opened her eyes, and glared at her opponent.

"Well, shall you walk into the Light once more, or will I need to escort you back to where you belong?"

"As you will see, I've taken a third option. I'll summon Meltiel Sage of the Sky in defense mode, and set one card to end my turn."

"I see, escort it shall be; I'll start by removing from play your trap card."

"Wrong, because that's what activates my counter-trap, Guardian Angel; when I have an Angel on the field, I can pay one thousand life points to negate your effect, and remove from play a card in your hand." A halo appeared around Theodore's hand, and spirited away his card. "Furthermore, two effects get activated with this as well; one, Meltiel gives me back my thousand life points, and two, by sacrificing Meltiel, I can special summon Voltanis the Adjudicator from my hand and destroy your VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!" As Voltanis appeared on the field, its presence exuded a considerable pressure upon Junko. For a moment Theodore's face grinned with anticipation of his victory in the name of the Light, but he saw Junko defy, deny, and finally, make that power hers. Voltanis released an intense burst of light that enveloped VWXYZ, and obliterated it.

The two duelists looked each other in the eye, and Theodore flinched first. "How…" He said as his voice shook, his empty hand and field hiding no power to fall back upon. "That card is your bond with the Light, it is the united strength of all the souls that believe in you, so how?" He gaped; for a moment he could see two images behind Junko. One was Athena, and the other was Momoe Hamaguchi.

"Because as great as your power is, I looked deep within myself, and found an even greater power. I can stand alone and claim this power for my own, because I am never alone. I know now, in both my mind and my heart, who it is that I am, and with that knowledge I will never be led astray again! Voltanis, direct attack; Adjudication Pronouncement!" Voltanis held its staff high, making clear its holy proclamation, and with the judgment decisively passed, Theodore's life points were gone, and with it all his power of the Light. Junko confirmed her victory, then slowly made her way back down to the others. Even though the duel had left her exhausted, so long as Momoe continued to duel, so would she.


	34. Chapter 34

**Skill and Determination Break Through All Limitations.**

"Well well, so I get to face the famed Shou Marufuji." Shou had already seen this woman, Adriane Devine, third rank in Australia, defeat two of his peers in short order using a different deck for each one. Almost faster than the eye could see, Shou saw her switch out the deck currently in her duel disc, an Anti-Machine deck, for a new deck hidden in a pocket in her coat, one of a dozen at least. "I would have liked to have made use of this deck against Kaiser Ryoko, but it would seem that we of the Association of Light have been unable to find her, and since the arrival of our glorious new world is nigh, it seems as though you will serve as my destined opponent."

"Oh yeah?" Shou said in an effort to build up bravado against this opponent, trying desperately to avoid the look in her eye; cold, piercing, and glaring, Shou could plainly see the overwhelming presence of the Light in her. Shou realized that this was how he must have appeared to his friends, how he must have seemed as Mizuchi spirited away all his darkness, leaving only an inhuman purity behind. Facing such an intense Light from the outside, Shou began to truly understand the enemy that he and everyone else were facing. "Well, if that's how seriously you're going to take this duel, there's no way you're going to win!" Shou drew his cards to begin the duel in earnest. "I set a monster and a card, and I activate the continuous spell card Arcane Barrier." A statue of an ancient sorcerer erupted from the ground behind Shou, a pale circle of runes floating above it. "I may not be my sister, but you underestimate me at your own peril, Adriane Devine."

"Such a grievous misunderstanding," Adriane said as she looked down upon Shou, hand on hip as she cradled her face in her other hand. "After all, were you not the premier member of the Association of Light? Were you not the one who personally inducted Jun Manjoume into the Association, and lead the charge at the Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge for the Association? In short, while my personal hubris lead me to think that facing the Kaiser would be the fulfillment of my destiny, returning you back to the Light and your proper glory is a destiny beyond even that!" As Adriane brought her hands together to draw her next card, Shou was struck by the sudden flash of a warrior's presence, of the sword of Damocles about to descend upon him. "I'll start by playing the field spell card, Witch Hunter's Academy." The venue changed; the third floor of the Obelisk Blue dorm faded away as a new institution made itself known. Weapons adorned the walls, swords and axes and pole-arms of every mark and make known to Man, and all around the duelists were training dummy's armed with staffs and adorned in rune-covered robes. To the last, each dummy had a sword driven through its body or a limb hacked off or some other manner of violence against it.

"It is in this place that the living weapon is honed against its natural weapon; thus, so long as Witch Hunter's Academy is on the field, whenever a Warrior monster destroys a spell-caster monster in battle, the opponent takes damage equal to half the Warrior monster's attack power. Now, to unveil an invincible army that will wipe out the darkness and bring you back into the Light!" As Adriane spoke, it was as though she were changing, her very form shifting in subtle ways to become more akin to the warrior's she was about to summon.

"Wait…" Shou could see that it was more than a matter of posture; by the aid of the spirit of the Maha Vailo in his hand, he could see the power of Adriane's soul as it twisted itself about, changing to become more attuned to her deck.

"That's right, with this power granted by the Light, I'm able to adapt to virtually any deck and bring out its full potential, like so!" A manic grin now claimed Adriane's face, and the swiftness of her play was notable, as though she were sweeping a huge sword instead. "I start by playing three copies of Reinforcement of the Army to add three level four or lower Warrior monsters from my deck to my hand. Thus, I summon Marauding Captain and activate his effect to bring out Command Knight from my hand, and then I play Second Summon to bring out a second Command Knight from my hand. Finally, I sacrifice Marauding Captain to special summon Turret Warrior from my hand, whose effect raises its attack power by that of the Warrior sacrificed." The Turret Warrior, a massive construct of stone and metal, stood in the center flanked by the Command Knights; clad in heavy red armor, the knights drew their swords and crossed them together, uniting all their strengths. By the combined effect of Adriane's monsters, each Command Knight had an attack power of 2000, while Turret Warrior's reached 3200.

"Now, Command Knight, attack the enemy Spell-Caster!" The Command Knight rushed forward and pierced Shou's face-down card with her sword, slaying the Apprentice Magician before driving the hilt of her sword into Shou for 1000 points of damage.

"…Now Arcane Barrier and Apprentice Magician activate their effects." Shou called out through the pain as he set another level two or lower spell-caster from his deck to the field, and the newly added spell counter on Arcane Barrier caused the circle of runes to begin to glow. "You see?" Shou said as he mustered every bit of determination he could. "You're not going to win, not that easily."

"Not that I expected to; that's why I'm using this deck and not any other against you. I will continue my attack with my other two warriors to finish my turn." The second Command Knight struck in the same manner as the first, while the Turret Warrior focused its guns down upon the third Apprentice Magician before turning that fire upon Shou, knocking him back into the opposite wall as his life points dropped to 400. The Arcane Barrier was almost at full power, and one monster remained on Shou's side of the field. "Well, that was pretty damn good, holding out like that Shou; the problem is that in your condition you have no chance of drawing the cards you need. You've neither the will, nor the ability to defy my invincible combo."

Shou tried to focus on the task at hand; he knew his deck held the power to break through Adriane's defenses and strike victory…but when he tried to look into his own heart to find this conviction, he couldn't. He saw the Ra Yellow uniform that he was wearing, and he couldn't convince himself that he deserved it, not without the power of the Light. He'd made so much progress in the Association, and even if it was fake, it had still brought him so much closer to where his sister was. That kind of power, strength, conviction, determination, skill, that sense of dignity and grace in all things, all this and more was what Shou saw in The Kaiser Ryoko, the traits that he sought to emulate.

"It would seem that we have more in common than I would have thought." Shou could not believe what he was hearing; it was a hallucination, a desperate wish born of the stress of the situation, that's what it had to be, but when Shou looked up, he saw her, standing above him. "I would have hoped that having endured as much trial and error as you have, that you would be able to resist this mistake better than I did." A second Ryoko appeared…no, it was the Rebirth, her mad eyes pure gold, filled with contempt of all those around her. "Terrified by the shadow of failure, I gave into my darkest impulses, desperate to avoid that nightmare; of course, this…my course of action birthed a new nightmare far worse than that, and in the end my personal terror was fulfilled." Kaiser Ryoko swept her arm out, casting away the demon with the gold eyes. "Shou, answer me this; why did I depart? Why did I leave Duel Academia behind and refuse to tell anyone where I went and where I've been?"

"…Because…" Shou spoke with trepidation; his sister had spoken clearly at the time, her meaning was unambiguous, but his heart… "That's just what I want to think, there's no way that could be true."

"Listen carefully Shou." Kaiser Ryoko took a step forward and got down on one knee, bringing her eyes level with Shou's. "How many duels has Judai lost?"

"At least…five or six, that I know of."

"And do you doubt that he is a great duelist?"

"Of course not!" Shou spoke firmly, with absolute conviction.

"Apply the lesson to yourself, as I have been." Kaiser Ryoko's image began to fade away. "Know that when next we meet, we shall each be duelists that the other can be proud of. Because we are the Marufuji children, and our unshakable pride, is our true strength."

"…I get it now." Shou looked up, and once more he saw Adriane Devine; it seemed as though only a moment had passed for her; the Light within her showed the way, but it blinded her to all that lay off that singular path, the path that Saiou had chosen for her. "All this time I've been worrying that I haven't made any real progress, and...now I don't have to."

"So, I take it you're still going to try? Well, it seems as though you've discovered a new wellspring of determination. Go ahead, try, but know that my painstakingly crafted deck will not fall to such crude measures as that."

"Don't worry Adriane, I know how to channel my determination, because this deck is about more than power; I now flip-summon my Magical Plant Mandragola, whose effect adds a fourth spell counter to Arcane Barrier. Next, I send both Arcane Barrier and Magical Plant Mandragola to the grave to draw four cards and activate my trap card Magic Vessel, allowing me to retain the four spell counters that were on Arcane Barrier." As the statue and the plant descended into the underworld, an elaborate vase emerged from the arcane energies, capturing it all. "Furthermore, when I activate a spell card I can add a spell counter to Magic Vessel. Thus, by playing Spell Power Grasp, I add two more spell counters to Magic Vessel and add another Spell Power Grasp from my deck to my hand. Next, I play Symbol of Heritage, and since I have three Apprentice Magicians in the grave I special summon one to the field in defense mode, and by combining his effect to that of Magic Vessel's, I add another two spell counters to Magic Vessel. Now, I summon Silent Magician Level Four to the field and play Level Up to sacrifice her and special summon Silent Magician Level Eight from my deck." Tall and powerful, the childlike magician came into her own without hesitation. "And now I play the field spell card, Secret Village of the Spell Caster's to add the tenth spell counter to Magic Vessel."

"Well," Adriane said as the halls dedicated to the death of all that was magic were torn down, replaced by a more natural environment dotted by a tiny little hamlet, peaceful and still. "This is impressive, I'll grant you that, but you've forgotten an important detail; even after overcoming Turret Warrior, you won't be able to advance any further. With two Command Knights on the field, you can't attack either of them and are thus denied the chance for victory. A good show of determination, but lacking in the skill to fulfill it."

"Wrong again." The magic that was contained by the Magic Vessel was now rising up, forming a prismatic sphere of very nearly every color in the air. "By removing ten spell counters on my side of the field, I can activate Mega Ton Magical Cannon and destroy every card that you control!" The ancient arcane weapon gathered the magic power into a pinprick of light, and fired. It expanded upon reaching the target and wiped Adriane's field clean, clearing the path for Silent Magician Level Eight to attack directly for 3500 points of damage; the power of that magic knocked her off her feet, but if she was perturbed by this, she showed no sign of it. "I end my turn."

"Excellent Shou Marufuji! This is the duel I was expecting, that I was seeking. With this, it is clear to see that you belong nowhere else but in the Association of Light, and with this I will fulfill my destiny and return you there! I activate my spell card, Warrior's Revenge; when I control no monsters on the field, I can remove from play every Warrior in my grave to deal damage to you equal to halve their combined attack powers. That's twenty-four hundred points of damage, two thousand more then I needed, but you're worth it!" She paused, waited, but nothing happened. Her eyes were wide with shock, trying desperately to see what had so wrong to take her off the destined path.

"Secret Village of the Spell Casters; when I control a Spell Caster monster, my opponent can't activate any spell cards." Adriane stared blankly at Shou, and he could see her soul writhing as it tried to wrap itself around this turn of events.

"I see…I must have been wrong…there must be more time left after all…after all, the new world can't come until my destiny is fulfilled…IT SIMPLY CAN'T!" Silent Magician Level Eight silenced Adriane Devine one last time, and while she fell unconscious, Shou could see that the students that she'd claimed for the Association had already moved on, had already escaped from the Obelisk Blue dorm. Shou fell back, to recover his breath and his spirit.

"Thank you…sis. I'm glad, that I could make you proud."


	35. Chapter 35

**Ancient Wisdom Guides the Way.**

"Ah, the illustrious Professor Chronos." The woman said as she bowed down before him, sweeping her right arm in a dramatic gesture. As she arose back up, she flicked her wrist back at some of the newly converted students, prompting them to retreat from the Obelisk Blue dorm. "Tell me, how does it feel for a relic such as yourself, to see all your life's work crumbling down all around you?"

"Hmph, I would say that you are speaking prematurely, Miss Margaret Weldon." Though Professor Chronos kept the tremor out of his voice, he had to keep his hands behind his back to hide the shaking within them. "After all, just the other day it seemed as though your little club had everything in the palm of its hand, and in one afternoon we've managed to turn all your progress on its head."

"You try and hide it, but we both know of the sham behind the man, and for a sham like you, miracles never come more than once." Professor Chronos was suddenly overwhelmed by the memory of a year old duel, his Shadow Duel against The Prophet. It was a duel that to him had gone so smoothly, so certainly, that now he could only marvel at it and wonder how. "Face me, the number one ranked duelist in the New York division, or else submit to the power and wisdom of the Light." As Margaret armed her duel disc, Professor Chronos felt as though he was about to be stripped bear, but he quashed that feeling deep down inside in determination to defy it.

"Since you are so confident in your victory, why don't you go first!?" The words came out in a bark, an utterance that turned Chronos's face red.

"If you insist old man, but don't think that you're hiding anything from me; you're a terrible actor. And remember, unlike that miracle duel, you're not dealing with a child in denial, but an adult who's in command of all her faculties." The Light around her was faint, at least as far as Professor Chronos could see, nothing at all like the golden circlet that sought to bleed the Prophet dry, vulgar in its obviousness. "So, first I'll summon Flint Lock in defense mode." A futuristic fighter craft appeared with a raised cockpit and three wings spread about in an equilateral triangle pattern. "Next, I play Flint and equip it to Flint Lock." A ball with three hooked chains wrapped itself around the spacecraft as though it was meant to be there. "Now I set one card, and end my turn. So Professor, show me what you can really do when you have to duel an equal, someone you can't lord over with the authority of your position."

"Do not think that you can speak so rudely to me! Many have underestimated me, all to their peril; Now, witness the power of the professor of the Obelisk Blue dorm! I play the field spell card Geartown." A city of gears and steam erupted around the duelists, creating a stark contrast with Margaret's advanced machine. "With this field spell card, I can summon Ancient Gear monsters with one less sacrifice than normal. Thus, I summon Ancient Gear Beast to the field without sacrifice!" Shaped like a saber-tooth tiger, Ancient Gear Beast glared at its opponent with bright yellow eyes as the trusty old gears locked into place. "I should let you know, when Ancient Gear Beast attacks, you can't activate any spells or traps until the end of the battle phase, leaving your little fad machine most doomed. Ancient Gear Beast, crush that toy in your jaws!" The machine roared, pounced, and bit. Its fangs broke, unable to break through the advanced hull of the ship.

"How unfortunate for you, but I don't need to activate any cards for Flint Lock to survive; you see, when Flint is equipped to Flint Lock, it can't be destroyed by battle, making your effort worthless."

"…You've slowed me down, but if you think you've stopped me you've got another thing coming. I'll set one card to end my turn." In that moment, Professor Chronos felt that he knew exactly what was going to happen on the next turn. His monster was going to be destroyed utterly, his Ancient Gear Golem was about to be trounced…wait, that wasn't right. Chronos looked upon his opponent, looked upon the way the young man adjusted his glasses…no! This was not then, this was now! "What is the meaning of this?" The man spoke with Margaret's voice, controlled and forceful.

"The future is plain to see before the Light, and so is the past." The ground tore itself open beneath Ancient Gear Golem's feet, casting it to the very core of the Earth below. "It is as they say, isn't it? Those who can't do, teach." The fangs of a ferocious tiger now bore down upon Professor Chronos, too scared to activate his trap, wiping away the last of his life points in his final duel as a professional duelist, finishing his career at the lowest recorded ranking in the league. The illusion passed, and Chronos's Ancient Gear Beast yet lived.

"The Association of Light knows of the past, but is above being so petty as to hold onto it. Not at all like your students, who know that they can safely ignore you in favor of the stronger duelists all around you. Come, give in and abandon your shameful past so that you may walk into our glorious future world with your head held high. Look, I'll even help speed you on your way; first, I activate the effect of Flint Lock and transfer Flint to your Ancient Gear Beast, and then I play Flint Missile to destroy your wretched old machine." The ball and chains unhooked from the advanced fighter and wrapped itself around Ancient Gear Beast's mouth, completing the de-clawing of the machine. Flint Lock let loose a single missile, destroying the machine within but leaving the Flint itself safe as it returned to Flint Lock once more. "Now I summon Victory Viper XX03 and activate Power Capsule to activate Victory Viper's second effect, summoning an Option token with the same stats as Victory Viper XX03, and since I now have two monsters with the same stats, I activate my trap card Common Power Field." As the spherical robot whirled around the new space fighter on the field, a new device appeared on the Victory Viper, connecting the two with a powerful chain of energy. "With this, Victory Viper's attack power is raised by sixteen hundred points, and thus the Option Token rises by the same amount, bringing me two monsters with a twenty-eight hundred attack points." Margaret sighed as she cocked her head. "Well, no time like the present; Victory Viper XX03, attack directly!"

The moment before Professor Chronos froze in place. He knew that his trap could hold his opponent at bay, preserve him for at least another turn, but the card itself now felt as though it were a column of lead, as though it were a terrible weight he dared not even try to move it. He felt divided from his bravado and his pride and was left with only the ability to look upon his own accomplishments; They were minute, tiny petty little things that most people wouldn't even notice, but Professor Chronos had hoarded them. He tried to take hold of his memory of his duel against The Prophet and hold it up as the pinnacle of his being, but it fell apart in his hands; it existed only as an isolated burst, nothing real or substantial.

"Hmm, maybe it would be for the best if I did surrender." Professor Chronos closed his eyes in resignation, awaiting the inevitable.

"Ah, come on Professor Chronos!" His eyes jerked themselves open and he glared down at the impertinent drop-out boy before him. "You know our graduation rematch is coming up, and what fun would that be if we both knew how it was going to turn out before it did?" Judai laughed a sound that greatly irritated Chronos.

"A lucky turnabout was all that saved you last time, Drop-Out Boy!" He heard more laughter all around him, and he saw a circle of Judai's friends, all standing as one. "Hmph, it seems that my great work awaits me, and I will most certainly not let a few slip-ups here and there slow me down!" Professor Chronos then turned back to Margaret, who was just staring at him. "I activate my trap card Ultimate Sacrifice, paying five hundred life points to summon Green Gadget from my hand. And with its effect I add Red Gadget to my hand, which I pay five hundred life points to also summon and add Yellow Gadget to my hand, and then I pay five hundred life points to sacrifice both monsters to summon the Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon to the field!"

The roar of the decrepit machine overtook the field, its aura of pride compensating for the failings of its ancient machinery. Red and green gears within the monster whirred into operation, increasing its power considerably. With three thousand attack points, Margaret could not advance.

"A delay, that is all; I once more activate the effect of Flint Lock and equip Flint to your monster." The chains stretched out and claimed the wings of the dragon, bringing it to the ground. "While so equipped, your monster loses three hundred attack points, can't attack, and can't change battle position, leaving it as nothing more than a convenient target for Victory Viper XX03 on my next turn. Furthermore, with your monster's destruction Victory Viper will summon a second Option token, giving me three monsters with thirty-six hundred attack points each, far in excess of anything you could hope to summon to your defense, no matter how extensive your sacrifice."

"And yet, I believe that I shall find a way. After all, is it not the duty of the elder to serve as an example to the youth? And with so many working so hard for their dreams all around me, I am more than eager to demonstrate that my words are more than empty bragging! Since I have an Ancient Gear monster on the field, I can pay one thousand life points to play Ancient Costly Wisdom and draw two cards. Next, I summon Yellow Gear to the field and then pay five hundred life points to sacrifice it and summon Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Chimera. And now…" A howling wind built itself up, silencing all other noise. "I play Heavy Storm!" Every spell and trap on the field was destroyed; the chains that bound Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon were torn asunder, and the chains that empowered Victory Viper and its Option token were less than vapor in that wind. And as the city of gears around the duelists collapsed… "And with Geartown's effect I special summon from my deck Ancient Gear Cannon, though that summon is quite incidental."

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Chimera bit down on the Victory Viper with its yellow head, dealing 1800 points of damage. Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon breathed red and green flames upon the Flint Lock, boring through its defenses for 2600 points of damage, finishing the duel in a single blow.

"Of course," Professor Chronos said to himself as he looked all around him, "it doesn't seem like this battle gained any special attention. But such an egocentric attitude would be unbecoming of a man of my station!" And so he dashed off, seeking a student help in their time of need, hoping that he could reach them before it was too late.


	36. Chapter 36

**The Hope of the Fool Can't be Refuted**

"That's enough time spent in the darkness; the two of you belong to the light, and it is my duty to bring you back into the fold." The woman armed her duel disc, and her eyes began to glow with their own radiance. "I am Heather Fillmore, second rank in the mid-west North American division, and for the Association of Light I descend into this darkness, bearing the Light!"

Judai and Asuka looked upon their opponent, and then into each other's eyes. A moment of silence passed, and they spoke as one.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors!" Judai and Asuka thrust their hands out, Judai's hand flat while Asuka's balled hers into a fist. "Well, looks like this one's yours Judai. Make me proud, okay?" She then jabbed him on the shoulder.

"No problem Asuka; to be honest I was hoping for an opportunity like this." He gave Asuka a pat on the shoulder, then turned to Heather and armed his duel disc. "I hope that this duel is going to be fun; I can already tell that you're a really powerful duelist, even without the Light. Heck, you'd probably be even stronger without all that glowing fog clouding your mind."

"Tch, once an immature brat, always an immature brat." Heather spoke with a decisive sneer. "One would figure that after everything you've been through in your life, after everything that you've helped bring about in this year alone, that you would have gained a far greater appreciation for your role in the new world. But once a fool, always a fool, and it is my duty, plain and simple, to force you to accept the Light once and for all. Go ahead Judai; take this first turn, that I may show you how empty and meaningless your hope without the guidance of the Light is."

"You got it!" Judai called out in an un-ironic tone. "I'll start by summoning Elemental Hero Heat in attack mode, and then I set one card to end my turn."

"Tch, how tiresome and predictable; you're going to try and activate Hero Signal to bring out Elemental Hero Lady Heat, and then make use of Miracle Fusion to summon Elemental Hero Inferno to the field. Trivially obvious, and with the Light to guide me the path to victory is similarly obvious. I start by summoning Gray Wing in attack mode." A dragon built like a crocodile growled deep in its throat. It was small and weedy looking, only possessing 1300 attack points. "By discarding one card, Gray Wing gains the ability to attack twice this turn." The glowing form of a vicious dragon descended into the grave, breathing a fire that caused Gray Wing to grow huge and fierce. "Furthermore, since the card I discarded was Force Dragon, I can increase Gray Wing's attack power by one thousand points until the end of my turn. Gray Wing, return Elemental Hero Heat to the darkness where he belongs."

With a beat of its wings, Gray Wing crossed the distance and bit down on Elemental Hero Heat's head, decapitating it for 500 points of damage.

"Well, just like you said, I activate Hero Signal and special summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in defense mode." This time it was the torso that Gray Wing tore through, leaving Judai's field empty.

"And as I said before, with the power of the Light I will expose you for the childish weakling that you are. I set one card to end my turn."

"My turn!" As Judai drew his card, he saw that it was exactly what Heather said it would be, but he didn't let himself worry about that; this was the deck that Kouyou Hibiki had passed down to him, it was the deck that had brought him so many precious friends, and he would believe in it no matter what. "I play Miracle Fusion, removing Heat and Lady Heat in the grave from play to summon Elemental Hero Inferno! And next, I play E-Emergency Call to add Elemental Hero Voltic and summon him in attack mode. Finally, I equip him with Parallel World Support, removing Elemental Hero Stratos in my deck from play to raise his attack power by nine hundred points. Now, Elemental Hero Voltic, attack Gray Wing!" Elemental Hero Voltic and the after image of Stratos gathered electricity between their hands, forming it into a ball before throwing it at Gray Wing, obliterating it for 600 points of damage. "And now with Voltic's effect, I special summon Elemental Hero Stratos to the field and activate his effect to destroy your face-down card."

"Wrong, foolish twit." Twin columns of air were blocked by a sudden flash of light. "Taking battle damage was the condition for activating my trap card, Sacrifice of Strength." The roar of a vast, towering dragon echoed across the field, its form familiar yet twisted in the darkness. "I send Dark Armed Dragon to the grave to end the battle phase, and then I add up to three monsters from my deck whose total attack power does not exceed that of Dark Armed Dragon. In this manner, I add Cyberdark Horn, Cyberdark Edge, and Cyberdark Keel to my hand."

"Cyberdark?" Judai looked over to Asuka; they'd heard of the rumors, of how the first play tester for those cards went insane and assaulted many before being restrained. Despite Industrial Illusion's best efforts to quash the rumors, everyone was convinced that the cards were cursed. Unfortunately, just as they were about to be destroyed, they went missing. Until now, Judai and Asuka realized.

"No need to worry; hard as it would be for an idiotic fool like you to grasp, the power of the light allows me to remain the master of these cards, as opposed to slave to them."

"Actually…I think you could manage that on your own!" Judai said with a laugh, prompting a sharp look of shock on Heather's face. "I mean it, you're way too good for some lame cult like the Association of Light." Heather's eyes shot wide open with rage.

"Petulant child, denigrating your superiors! I will show you just how little you know! I play the spell card Risky Draw, allowing me to discard two cards to draw two, and then I discard one of the cards that I just drew and you get to draw one card. In this manner, I discard three monsters and draw the key card of my deck, the card that you squander in every duel, Fusion!" The images of each Cyberdark monster appeared, but only briefly before making way for their combined form, the Cyberdark Dragon. It was a dread machine whose very construction drew on all the powers of the underworld.

"Now, in accordance with Cyberdark Dragon's effect I equip Dark Armed Dragon to it, adding its attack power to that of Cyberdark Dragon's." Vicious cables extended into the ground and wrenched Dark Armed Dragon from its peaceful rest and drew it up into the machine's cold embrace. Cyberdark Dragon dug deep into the dead dragon's flesh, drawing on the creature's living strength for its own use. "Furthermore, for every monster in my grave Cyberdark Dragon gains an additional one hundred attack points. Thus, Cyberdark Dragon's attack power rises from one thousand to forty-six hundred! Now, submit to my dragon's invincible strength, Full Darkness Burst!" The air warped in the wake of the dragon's attack, the very space itself twisted to accommodate it. The force of that attack caused Elemental Hero Stratos to collapse in on itself, dealing 2800 points of damage to Judai. "Now do you get it Judai? You've nothing in your deck that can hope to equal this monster's might. Now, I end my turn."

"Wow, that is something." Judai said as he wiped his brow. "But you're only half right; see, while no one of my heroes could win, they can come together to do the impossible. You know, instead of raiding their fallen companions." He said this as he pointed at the trapped body of the Dark Armed Dragon. "I play Gift of the Weak to remove Elemental Hero Knopse in my hand to draw two cards. Next, I sacrifice Inferno and Voltic to summon Elemental Hero Sunlight, and with Inferno's effect I add Parallel World Support back to my hand. Now, I remove Stratos, Voltic, and Inferno in my grave from play to increase Sunlight's attack power by twelve-hundred, and then I equip Sunlight with Parallel World Support, removing Obsidian from play to increase his attack power by another one thousand."

Surrounded by the specters of the fallen, Elemental Hero Sunlight thrust his fist into the air as his attack power achieved 4800, the glow of his skin cancelling the shadow of Cyberdark Dragon. He drove his fist into the Dark Armed Dragon, returning the poor creature back to the grave where it belonged, and dealing 200 points of damage besides.

"Unfortunately for you, Cyberdark Dragon's final effect allows it to sacrifice the monster equipped to it to prevent destruction by battle. Thus, my ultimate monster survives." The hooks unlatched, the cables let loose, and the fallen dragon returned to the grave once more.

"That's quite a monster, but it doesn't look like it'll last much longer anyway. So, I'll just go ahead and set three cards to end my turn."

"Regardless of whatever inferior traps you've set for me, they are helpless before the true power of the Cyberdark Dragon. I now play De-Fusion, returning Cyberdark Dragon to my Fusion Deck and bring back Horn, Edge, and Keel to the field." The Cyberdark Dragon split apart into its component monsters, each one sending new cables into the grave. "Furthermore, each of them has the effect of equipping a level three or lower dragon monster from my grave, gaining their attack power in the process." Cyberdark Edge equipped Hunter Dragon, Cyberdark Horn equipped Dweller in the Depths, and Cyberdark Keel equipped Gray Wing. "Furthermore, Cyberdark Edge can reduce its own attack power by half to attack directly, making your Elemental Hero worthless to your own defense! Now, see how empty your hope is against the true power of the Light!"

"Wrong! I activate Hallowed Grave of the Hero; when I have one Elemental Hero on the field I can sacrifice Elemental Hero Sunlight and gain half its original attack points as life points, and during the end phase I can draw one card for every card you control. And now that I have a hero in the grave, I activate Hero Blast to return Elemental Hero Sunlight to my hand and destroy your Cyberdark Edge." A column of sunlight wiped out both the fanged machine and its dragon prisoner, leaving nothing behind.

"Pathetic Imbecile, I still have my direct attack, and you've only made things easier for me!"

"Actually, when you re-declared your attack, that allowed me to activate my final trap card, Hero Counterattack; normally you'd pick a card in my hand at random, but since all I've got is Elemental Hero Sunlight that means I get to special summon him back to the field and destroy one monster you control." The thundering blow of that fist annihilated Cyberdark Horn, freeing its prisoner to the grave once more.

"Tch…worthless idiot, pure luck won't get you any further then this! I end my turn." In accordance with Hallowed Grave of the Hero, Judai drew two cards at the end of Heather's turn.

"All right, I've been waiting for this card!" Judai said with unabashed excitement, raising Heather's irritation to a fevered pitch.

"Don't even pretend that you just drew the winning card!"

"That's okay, because I didn't. And that's okay, because this duel's been going great, so I don't want it to end just yet."

"What the hell is wrong with you, you inane twerp!? Is there any room in that void you call a skull for a brain that would let you realize the gravity of your situation!?" For a moment Judai thought Asuka was about to speak in his defense, but she let him have the floor.

"Well, I don't know what to say Heather; I mean right now all my friends are doing their best to duel for their dreams and for each other, so it's hard for me to feel down anymore. It's, it's just that simple!" Judai laughed for a bit, and Heather's face, her form seemed to cool down. It was a very odd thing to observe. "Well, onto my turn. I play Across Dimensions, paying one thousand life points to special summon a level four or lower Elemental Hero that's been removed from play. So welcome back Elemental Hero Voltic!" Elemental Hero Sunlight attacked first, defeating Keel's imprisoned Gray Wing for 500 points of damage. Voltic followed up by destroying Keel for another 200 points of damage, and with that Voltic tore open a new portal, giving Elemental Hero Obsidian the chance to deal 2000 points of damage in a direct attack. "Now I'll set two cards, and end my turn."

The two duelists were on the razor's edge, Judai with 1000 life points and Heather with 500.

"Your luck's run out; the Light has shown me the way, and I will not be denied! I play Cyberdark Impact, allowing me to return Edge, Horn, and Keel to my deck to summon Cyberdark Dragon back to the field and re-equip it with Dark Armed Dragon once more." The nightmare was reborn, a monster whose power was too great for Judai to oppose. "Now, this time Cyberdark Dragon only has forty-three hundred attack points, but no matter which of your monsters I attack, you lose. So in order to make the weight of your defeat as great as possible, I attack your Elemental Hero Voltic!"

For a moment Voltic seemed doomed. But then another appeared, ready and willing to sacrifice themselves to save a friend. "I activate Flute of Summoning Kuriboh to special summon Winged Kuriboh from my deck in defense mode, and then I play Staunch Defender, forcing you to attack him instead of Voltic." Winged Kuriboh vanished in a shower of Light, and with the last of its strength it gave a thankful chirp to Judai.

"Was that…that was a spirit…it was yours…so that's what…" Heather's features had become soft, but they swiftly hardened. "Another turn, another chance lost, for you! You defeated my monster once, but you've got nothing that can do it again!"

"Are you sure about that? I'll grant you, Elemental Hero Storm, Elemental Hero Oak, they didn't do too well in their premiere duels, but I've got a feeling that Elemental Hero Black Sun is going to do just fine."

"What!?" Judai raised up the lone card in his hand.

"I play Fusion, sending Sunlight and Obsidian to the grave to fusion summon Elemental Hero Black Sun!" A three thousand attack point brute, Black Sun spun about in the air, changing form as it did; in one moment huge and hulking, the next light and petite, combining all aspects of its constituent heroes. "And with his effect, I can send one Elemental Hero I control to the grave to destroy one card you control. Turn to Dusk!" Black Sun embraced Voltic and bid him adieu. Pale light and deep shadows seeped over the Dark Armed Dragon, returning it to the place it belonged. "Black Sun, attack with Rise of the Dawn!" The beam was formed in his hands, concentrated to the size of a pebble, and fired. The force was sufficient to knock Heather off her feet and if not for some quick action she would have slammed into a nearby tree. As it was, even as her life points dropped to zero she refused to go down.

"Don't think that this means anything brat!" She then turned to Asuka. "Yes, I'll just crush you, and see that inane cheery smile of his wiped off the face of the Earth!" Just as Asuka armed her duel disc, Heather suddenly collapsed forward, revealing a robed figure behind her.

"If this is how a duelist of the Light handles defeat, then I should be glad to stay in the darkness." Judai and Asuka stared at the robed woman; it wasn't Mizuchi, but who could it be? "I believe you two are Judai and Asuka, yes? Friends of Manjoume and Edo?"

"How do you know them?" Asuka asked, her duel disc still armed.

"That would be a matter for them to discuss with you. As it stands, my associates should be finishing up assisting you students in your defenses. Let us proceed to the Obelisk Blue dorm." The woman then walked past them, silent with every step.

Upon arriving at the dorm, they found that the student's numbers were greatly reduced, though Judai's friends were all safe, as were the woman's associates and a few other students besides. However, the focus of their attention was on Edo Phoenix, who now glared upon the solid vision image of Takuma Saiou before him.


	37. Chapter 37

Author's Note: I've just completed the final chapter, so I will increase the rate at which I update from once a week, to once per three days. Thank you for your time, and enjoy the story in progress.

**

* * *

Ultimatum of the Devil.**

"Hello everyone." Takuma Saiou said, his sonorous voice the same as always, even as his eyes conveyed his sorrow. "It has been some time since I've been able to see you all, and unfortunately it will be some time more before I can emerge into the open once more." Edo stepped forward and glared into the eyes of the man who once served as his guide in life, steeling himself against the tears that fought to express themselves within his own eyes.

"Saiou, stop this; whatever the reason, whatever happened, it can't possibly be worth all this…this manipulation, this control. Or were all the years you spent guiding me, advising me…all the years of our friendship, were they all just a lie? Tell me the truth Saiou! Did you really arrange for the murder of my parents, just so that you would have a martyr for your cause?!" A whispered murmuring spread throughout the crowd, but Edo was not yet done, the many and myriad pent up emotions now finding release. "Have you really become so arrogant, so distant from the rest of us, that you would think nothing of turning everyone into your willing slaves, of twisting our wills and dreams to serve your ends and yours alone?! Answer me Saiou, head of the Association of Light, or can you not withstand this scrutiny? Are you so ashamed of what you've become that you can't even show your true self anymore? Answer me!"

"…Edo." If Saiou had been physically present, he would have placed his hand on Edo's shoulder. But as it stood, he put his arms out, as though to embrace the whole of the sky. "Were you to see the world as I've seen it, as I continue to see it, then you would understand fully. But as it stands, words are useless at this juncture; I could tell you how I've strived and struggled to preserve you from this fate, tried to protect from the cruel corruption of our world, but words can do nothing. There is only action, decisive and firm, and the power with which to fulfill the dream that has driven me for more years than I care to count. And come tomorrow, when the sun reaches its zenith, that dream shall be fulfilled."

"Your dream?" Edo said, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Yes. For years I have been striving towards this dream, guiding those around me to bring that fulfillment ever closer to fruition, and when Asuka won her duel just the other day, when she defeated the professional duelist Minato Kushina, that day became a clear certainty in my mind; thanks to her, the global membership of the Association of Light reached the critical value. At this time, one percent of all people on this Earth have been brought into the light, and at noon tomorrow I will gather the strength of all the myriad souls beneath my banner, and usher in a new utopian era, converting all those who are not hopelessly corrupted by the Darkness into seers of the Light. With that eternal dawn, all will see what is meant to be, and strife and suffering shall never again be known to humanity."

"I see." Edo turned towards the new voice, and to his shock saw that Misao, Lady Thorn, was present. "And what of those of us who are hopelessly corrupt from the darkness? Shall we find a place in your new world?" She said this with an acerbic bite of one who did not believe in anything. Saiou turned his attention to Misao and…they were filled with yet more sorrow.

"Unfortunately, those like you, those who have embraced the Darkness of this world…they will not survive the Eternal Dawn. Your minds, your souls…they will be wiped away, cleansed from this earth. And your bodies…they shall perish, die. But even as I speak, my agents around the world are seeking out those still trapped in the Darkness and bringing them into the Light; once the time comes… the casualties shall be at a minimum."

"And yet," Principal Samejima, her voice firm with resolve, "you would count your sister among the fallen with nothing but a tear streaking down your face? If you truly felt any sorrow for those who would perish in the name of your cause, then you would fall back from this course. That you do not, is proof enough that your words, that your declarations are meaningless."

"Well, I know one way to resolve this for sure!" Judai said as he stepped forward, flanked by Asuka and Shou. "Why don't you come out and face us in a duel; you can't lie or pretend there, and then we'll know for sure what you're really after."

Takuma Saiou stared at Judai, and then burst out in unrestrained laughter, echoing across the crowd. "Oh Judai, in a way your uncomplicated mind has managed to cut through to the heart of the matter; indeed, as the art of the duel has proved to be the key unlocking the power of my soul, it would indeed make sense to proceed as you've described." He paused, all mirth disappearing from his face. "Unfortunately, my sister has seen to it that no such event shall come to pass."

"Your sister!?" Professor Hibiki said with almost a sneer. "Whatever plan she's concocted to protect your schemes, it can't stand up to us! Any security measure that she's put into place won't last a second before the expertise of the faculty."

"Indeed, which is why she has not bothered with anything so mundane. No, her method, as it has always been, is the darkness of the human soul. In short, she has erected a barrier around my office, a barrier created from all the darkness of the many souls of those who had joined the Association of Light; should you attempt to enter while it exists, you will be driven away by the madness of your own soul; only a pure existence, one that has joined the Light, can pass through it without harm. Besides which," Saiou said with a smirk, "You are all exhausted; physically, mentally, spiritually. You have no hope of success in this endeavor now…not that you ever you ever would; after all, despite the interference of certain individuals present…" His eyes passed over Judai, Asuka, and paused over Momiji. "And despite certain mistakes and errors that were made, this fate is absolute."

He then turned away from everyone, his voice booming. "I will give you this night to rest, a measure of my mercy and compassion. Consider it a reward, for all the alliances and bonds that you've managed to form that can stand up to my Association of Light. Come tomorrow, and you can attempt to defeat my sister and her apostles, breaking the barrier that divides us from each other. But remember, there is nothing that you are capable of doing that can alter the fate that I have foreseen, and while I can recommend that you willingly surrender, your stubbornness suggests that you will not. Now, before I return to my meditations, is there anything else that any of you would like to say? This will be your last chance before you become part of the new world of Light with the arrival of the Eternal Dawn."

"There is something I want to say." Momiji said in a calm even tone that cut through the night air, causing the image of Saiou to whip around in shock. "While I know that what happened all those years have weighed heavily on you, and for good reason, I want you to know that in the end things have worked out well for me. While I have been confused about myself and my place in the world for years because of you, I am now far more aware of my true nature then I would have been without your power. So what I'm getting at, is that even you can't truly know where the road of fate will take us." Momiji then motioned Misawa over, and took his hand. "A pure existence like the one you're describing, is not one that I can condone; only a balanced existence between the Light and the Dark can truly show us what we are, and only we can decide our paths in life."

"…Is that so, Momiji?" Takuma Saiou began to vanish. "Still, there is no need to fear; you have enough Light in your soul, and in the new world you will be able to see what Mizuchi and I had promised to show you all those years ago." And with that, Takuma Saiou vanished, and the assembled group collapsed in exhaustion.

* * *

"I have to say, I was surprised when you and your people showed up tonight." Edo Phoenix sat down across from Misao, who had lowered her hood to show her face. "You were a big help; it would have gone a lot worse without reinforcements of your caliber."

"After what you had done for us, after apprehending The Hallowed One…it still surprises me that not only have the police kept their word with you, but that you extended such mercy to such a vicious criminal."

"…A person's history can't excuse what they've done." Edo said, looking down and away from Misao. "But after finding out the truth of what Maria Croix had suffered in the Underground League…I've found that serving justice is not as simple as I once thought it was."

"Maria Croix." Misao said slowly, her eyes ever so slightly wider than they were a moment ago. "I see…I hadn't recognized her, and it didn't seem as though she'd recognized me, so it never occurred to me that she was the same person as back then. But then again, the Underground League has a way of changing people, not always for the better."

Edo turned his head towards her, unsure if he could really believe that this woman was expressing…was expressing genuine sorrow for Maria. "Truth be told, there's a lot I still don't know, which I suppose is why I suspended the passing of sentence upon her. But not even I can hold off the demands of justice forever, and if I can't find out what those demands are…"

"And that's why you can't condemn your friend Saiou." Misao said, still looking away. "You know that you do not know the full picture, and thus know that you don't know what to do. You have changed greatly from when you first came to us, to me. But the time of ignorance will have to pass, and swiftly; when the destined hour comes tomorrow, you must find the answer Edo, the answer to what Justice truly is, and what must be done about The Hallowed One, The Association of Light, Mizuchi Saiou, and Takuma Saiou. Otherwise, this tragedy shall remain unresolved and in time will repeat itself, claiming more lives and breeding more sorrow.

"…indeed. So, in the interest of the truth, what can you tell of Maira? Just how was it that a girl like her was claimed by your group, and how did she come to leave it?"

"It is a fair…no, it is the right question to ask." Misao stood up and for the first time faced Edo directly. "When the Underground League was first established, there were no standards at all, no purpose beyond providing some cheap thrills to a bored plutocracy. Maria was just one of many orphans who found solace and joy in the game of Duel Monsters, and they seized upon it. The paperwork was all in order, all forgeries filled out as necessary, and they made it plain to her that her only hope of being loved was to win, to make others suffer, and to bring a smile to their faces. I would like to be able to say that I tried to comfort her, but in truth I harbored a terrible jealousy of her, so I only made things harder for her, increased the intensity of the penalties of our duels in that place. Many died during that time, and for one of the survivors to be so broken by the experience…as for how she escaped, it seemed as though a miracle; chance happenstance, coincidence after coincidence, everything that could go right for her escape did go right, as though a guiding light showed her the way." Edo's eyes were beginning to water; nothing was a coincidence, not anymore, and regardless of why he did it, Saiou did rescue her from that nightmare, and regardless of what she did with her new freedom, Maria Croix now had the opportunity to obtain a peaceful future.

"Once it became clear that she'd truly made her way out, the rest of us realized that we could overcome the elites that had turned us into savage monsters that were no longer welcome in civilized society. We rid ourselves of them, and remade the Underground League in our own image; it would be a harrowing hell, but not for ours or anyone else's amusement. Rather, it would serve as the crucible that would prove our strength and our merit, proof of our meaning in this dark world of ours. Of course, when Maria…The Hallowed One attacked, such distinctions did not matter to her, and all but one of my friends died on that night…!" Misao started looking around, here and there and everywhere.

"What is it, Lady Thorn?"

"Kanda Nakamura. He volunteered to scout the grounds, make sure that Saiou was keeping his word and would not renew the attack for the rest of the night. That he hasn't returned yet…" Misao's lips curled down in a distinct frown, and Edo could see the fear and worry in her eyes.


	38. Chapter 38

**Pure Darkness, Pure Light**

"Greetings, intruder upon my sanctum." Takuma Saiou said, his eyes still closed in meditation. "Tell me, why do you think you were able to make your way past my sister's barrier?"

"It was as you yourself said." Kanda Nakamura stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he neared his target. "Only a pure existence could make it through your barrier without succumbing to madness." He placed his hand on Saiou's desk, claiming it. "Your mistake was in believing that only a purity of Light could qualify." He placed his other hand down, and bored into the eyes of the mystic before him. "I may not possess any unnatural powers, but after all that I've endured, suffered, and done in my life, I can say quite safely that there is not one speck of light left to me, and thus I passed through your barrier like a shadow over the water. Not that I saw or felt anything meriting the name 'barrier'." Kanda then stood up, arms at his side. "Now, will you be sensible and give up this mad flight of fancy of yours, or will I have to defeat you and expose you for the man behind the curtain that you are?" There was a moment of silence before Saiou opened his eyes, and upon his face was a smile of simple confidence.

"Like a mouse that has made its way onto the tiger's nose, you believe that your quick wit has exceeded my grasp." Saiou stood up and turned his back to Kanda. "Like a brave knight fighting for his lady, you believe that your cause can empower you to do the impossible." Saiou pulled a card from his Tarot deck and placed it on the table behind him without looking at it. "Like a drunkard high on life, you believe yourself invincible and that there is nothing in this world that can harm you." Saiou turned the card over, revealing The Hanged Man in reverse. "But in truth, you are nothing but an egotistical fool, full of arrogance and pride, and in due course your weakness of will shall fall under my sway, where it may do some good in the time remaining for this world." Now Saiou dropped his smile, and armed his duel disc. "This will hurt for a time, but thanks to your rushed actions, you and your friends, your associates in the Underground League, will survive the coming of my new world. Truly, fate itself has seen the wisdom of my plans, and has delivered you to me."

"I can see that you are as conceited in person as you were not five minutes ago; I shall take great pleasure in breaking you, and forcing you to face reality." Kanda armed his duel disc, his face expressing how much he relished this duel. "I'll take the first turn, and activate two copies of Six Samurai United, and three copies of Gateway of the Six!" On the north, east, and west sides of the room, massive gates appeared. A six point symbol adorned each one, and the doors themselves were barred and sealed. "And now, by summoning Nisashi of the Six Samurai, each Gateway gains two bushido counters, while each United gains one bushido counter." Two of the gates began to open as their symbols glowed, and faded. "By removing four bushido counters from the field, Gateway allows me to add another Six Samurai monster from my deck to my hand, and with Nisashi on the field I special summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, and then I send both Six Samurai United's to the grave to draw four more cards." A flash of energy in the shape of spears and bows and swords, and Kanda's hand was renewed. "And now that I have two Six Samurai monsters on the field, I special summon Great Shogun Shien from my hand!"

"Impressively well done, Kanda Nakamura." Takuma Saiou said with a chuckle. "One would not need to be enlightened, to see the Light, in order to see how it was that you became the right hand man to the Lady Thorn." He stared down the three monsters before him, and his eyes began to glow. "But it is only with my eyes that see through the darkness, that one can see how pitiful you truly are."

"You can say anything you like conjurer, but we both know how empty and meaningless your words are. I set two cards, and end my turn."

"Conjurer, a man behind the curtain." Takuma Saiou muttered to himself. "The way you speak, it is as though you don't believe in my power, not even a little. Surely you have seen in it in the eyes of my followers; the Light that brings guidance and peace to the soul, a transcendent sensation that far exceeds the base power that comes from reveling in the darkness, as you have."

"What I've seen, is a bunch of fools drawn in by a swindler's words and opportune exploitations of superstitions in those who believe that the future can be predicted. The future is not to be seen, but to be made and forged in the fires of humanity, of people who have tested themselves and become worthy of their own futures.

"…How very fascinating." Saiou said, his eyes growing wide with elation. "You who are pure of Darkness, and I who am pure of Light…" Saiou drew his card with a grin. "Our views are not so different; indeed, the lone difference is that I possess wisdom and truth, while you are still trapped in your own illusions. Now, I summon Arcana Force IV, The Emperor." An alien angelic being, clad in armor from the stars and countless tentacles hanging off its form, The Emperor possessed 1400 attack points. Its card appeared above it, and began to spin faster than the eye could ever follow. "When you declare stop, we shall learn of your fate in this duel."

"Fifty percent, I'll take that bet." Kanda watched intently, gauging the moment until it was right. "Stop!" The Emperor was now in the upright position.

"No, there was only ever the appearance of chance. You, you who provide guidance, support, and protection to your Lady Thorn, your very presence here in this duel decided The Emperor's favored power. And with it, all Arcana Force monsters I control will gain five hundred attack points. The Emperor, attack Nisashi." A dozen laser beams, cutting light, tore through the samurai wielding two swords. Yet the expected damage did not come; in fact, Kanda found that he'd been healed by the damage he should have taken. "Don't be confused. Upon destroying your monster, I activated my quick-spell card, Confirmation; by forgoing battle damage and healing you by the same amount for this turn, I can special summon a level four or lower Arcana Force monster from my hand. Behold, Arcana Force VII, The Chariot!" More rounded in form then the emperor, the upper half had tentacle hands while the lower had gunports, and altogether with The Emperor's effect The Chariot had 2200 attack points. The card above it as well.

"Stop!" Kanda called out in that same instant, and thus did The Chariot come out in the upright position.

"Assertiveness, self belief, change; these are the traits in you that have resonated with The Chariot. Heh, I can see it so very clearly, the very moment in which your present fate became locked, when you became bound to this path." For Kanda Nakamura, it was as though Takuma Saiou's eyes had consumed his entire field of vision, as though all that he could see was what Saiou wanted him to see. And then he heard a voice, his voice.

"How dare you! Cowards all of you, attacking your better after exhausting her with waves of your minions! I, Kanda Nakamura, will not let this offense against the Lady Thorn go unanswered!" Kanda saw himself, standing in front of an exhausted Misao, the pile of bodies before them both her work, and the thugs before them would be his.

A flash of light, and Kanda saw the duel and his opponent once more.

"I know of this, of that fierce battle against the monsters who owned your souls in order to claim control of the Underground League, and of your vow to the Lady Thorn, because that was the fate that I decreed; an incidental fate in the face of my more immediate goal, but as you can see now, a most useful turn of events for me."

"Bullshit!" Kanda cried out, his eyes visibly wavering. "You had nothing to do with that, it was all because…!" Saiou put his hand out, silencing Kanda.

"Because a young girl, Maria Croix, overcame the traps and barriers set against her freedom from that wretched life, and inspired the rest of you to act. In this manner, she became my agent of the Light, even if she did not realize it, as was Edo Phoenix, who you faced and thus provided the resolve and power to face against The Hallowed One." Saiou put his hand back down, and Kanda steadied himself. "With exceptionally rare exception, all fates are connected, and as my wisdom has grown I've come to see the ends of all things. Do you intend to deny my power any further?" This, Saiou spoke with great and commanding firmness.

"It would seem I have no choice." Kanda's fist was shaking, but nothing else. "But that does not mean I shall submit to your designs; we've all heard what became of Maria after your tool Edo Phoenix defeated her. Don't think that your hands are any cleaner than the rest of us, Takuma Saiou!"

"It is indeed a cause for sorrow." Tears began to stream down Saiou's face. "That such bloodshed was needed to spur the right course of action, to have Edo fulfill his destiny of Justice in this world and through his deeds and suffering inspire many to take up the mantle of the Association of Light." The tears stopped, as sudden as the ending of a storm. "But we can't forever dither in the past; the future awaits us all, and most of all, it awaits you at the end of this duel; The Chariot, attack Grandmaster!" With 2200 attack points, The Chariot was able to overcome Grandmaster's 2100 attack point total. "And with The Chariot's upright effect, I special summon your Grandmaster to my side of the field." Beams of light constrained the Grandmaster, and with the sigil of the Chariot carved upon his brow he became Saiou's loyal servant. "Now, I set one card, and end my turn."

"That's all?" Kanda said, his eyebrow raised in skepticism. "All of that, for a field of monsters that can't stand against Shien? And do not believe that Shien will be your only opponent! I remove eight bushido counters from my gateways to add two Six Samurai monsters from my deck to my hand, and with this I summon Yaichi of the Six Samurai, and special summon another Grandmaster to the field. And since I control another Six Samurai monster, I activate Yaichi's effect to…!" As Yaichi drew his bow and nocked his arrow, it was already too late.

"By special summoning your grandmaster, you triggered the condition of my trap card, Arcana Renewal; I sacrifice MY level five Grandmaster, to special summon in attack mode Arcana Force VIII, Strength!" A top heavy legless creature that leaned forward on its arms, like some manner of ape, Strength had 1800 attack points of its own. The card appeared above it.

"This will not go your way again…Stop!" This time, it was in reverse.

"Once again, you are wrong." Strength reached out to its fellow monsters, and forced them onto Kanda's side of the field. "By the reverse effect of Strength, I give you control of my other two monsters. But, in accordance with the effect of Arcana Renewal, by obtaining the reverse effect, you are forbidden to perform a direct attack on this turn."

Kanda's face became a riot of rage. "I suppose you enjoy toying around like this, playing with the duel itself, and refusing to face your opponent with anything resembling grace or dignity? I may not be able to win this turn…" Kanda looked at his face down Cunning of the Samurai, now useless in these circumstances. "But I will show the power that you've awakened against you! I remove all twelve Bushido counters from the field, and raise Great Shogun Shien's attack power by three thousand points, achieving fifty-five hundred points. Crush his lone monster, and show Saiou how empty his actions and how meaningless his words are!" A great raging fire followed the wave of Shien's sword, and it spiraled all around Saiou, leaving him with only 300 life points. "And now I activate my trap card, Preserved Strength; by giving up Shien's destruction prevention effect, Shien does not lose its extra attack power. Now, I end my turn."

"Just as I knew you would."

"What?" Kanda said in a whisper.

"The reverse sign of Strength; fear, inertia, loss of opportunity, these are the qualities in you that have ended this duel. Following that fateful day, you've struggled to recreate it, to reignite that moment, and prove to her that you are more than just her loyal retainer. Unable to go against the flow of your own power, the darkness in your soul has blinded you and denied you victory.

"Show me then, show me this monster of yours that will win you this duel in this instant!"

"You had but to ask. I play the spell card, Selection of Fate; you choose a card in my hand, and if that card is an Arcana Force Monster, then I can special summon that monster to the field. But, I have only one card, there is only one fate before you, the fate that I have set out for you. Come forth, Arcana Force XII, The Hanged Man!" Less a monster and more an ornate crystal structure, it warped about itself and gazed down from on high, with a spindly structure in place of the neck connecting it to the body. Indeed, upon second look it was as though a second body was where the head was meant to be, with its own head gazing upon Kanda.

"Stop." Kanda said, his voice firm and resolute while his body shook considerably. The card was upright, and it filled him with dread.

"Before, this sign in you was reversed; an inflated ego bent on martyrdom. But now it is upright, and with deliverance I shall release you from the darkness and have you be reborn in the Light; by The Hanged Man's effect, I destroy one monster on your side of the field, and deal damage to you equal to that monster's attack power." Great Shogun Shien was suspended in the air by his foot, hanging upside down. His great strength availed him not, and in fact only served to damn him further.

In that moment, Kanda felt that his mind was as one with his monster, and when it was destroyed, he felt truly defeated. He collapsed, unable to move as all his other monsters and cards vanished from the field.

"Rest for now; You will need your strength in the morning, for there is still much to be done." With that said, Takuma Saiou returned to his desk, and resumed his meditations. Once more, the struggle to fit his sister's redemption and ability to enter the world of the Light into his design fate consumed Takuma Saiou.


	39. Chapter 39

Author's Note: An anonymous reviewer pointed out a seeming discrepancy in the previous chapter concerning the effect of Arcana Force XII The Hanged Man; In the anime, it was the Reverse effect that resulted in the opponent's monster being destroyed and having damage equal to that monster's attack power dealt to the opponent, but I had that be the outcome of the Upright effect. My reasoning for this change was fairly simple; in all other cases in the anime, the upright effect is good for the controlling player and bad for the opponent, with The Hanged Man being the noted exception; thus, in the interest of thematic consistency, I tweaked the effect of the card to be more in line with the rest of Takuma Saiou's monsters. I'd thought that I'd put in the appropriate Author's Note at the end of the previous chapter, but upon further examination, I see that I did not. In any event, I hope my anonymous reviewer is satisfied by this explanation. Now, the story in progress shall continue. Please enjoy.

**

* * *

The Path of Dreams, Journeys Foreseen **

"Hello!" Misawa Daichi called out, looking from one end of the horizon to the other. "Is there anyone out there?" His voice traversed the endless ashen wasteland, fading away in the distance. The wind kicked up a blast of sand, and Misawa attempted to cover himself, to protect those parts of himself that weren't covered by his rags. He resumed his wandering, pacing himself so that he could walk all day if he had to. Above him the sky was covered in thick gray clouds, diffusing the sunlight so thoroughly that it was impossible to gauge the passage of time.

Still, it must have been several hours later, when Misawa saw a sign of life in the distance. Responding to the deep urge to end this loneliness within and around him, Misawa began to ran towards the person he saw in the distance, heedless of how the wind blew the sand into his wounds. As he came closer to his target, various traits of this person became visible to him; it was a woman, and even though she was hunched over it was clear that she was very tall. Most of her hair had fallen out and her frame had almost entirely withered away. Yet she was hard at work, digging and singing a soft song that floated on the wind.

"Hush." Her voice crooned, as though her very vocal cords were as vital as an oak tree. "Don't you cry, I'll tell you why, I'll bake a pie, and hold you high." Misawa now stood over her, watching in horror as she toiled away; at first glance it seemed as though she was harvesting mandrakes, but this first impression did not stand up to scrutiny, for while they were composed of vegetable matter they were quite plainly the bodies of infants. In both composition and form, they had been long dead, the barren wasteland incapable of supporting them.

"Sayuri!" Misawa yelled, and as the woman turned her head, her face was indeed that of Sayuri Watanabe, pure and healthy despite the wasted ruin of her body. "Sayuri, what is this? Tell me, what does this mean?" Sayuri looked into his eyes, and the tears flowed freely from hers, watering the ground to no effect.

"Misawa!" She cried out, wrapping her arms around him and holding tightly to him. Misawa feared to react, to hold her back; her bones seemed as brittle as alabaster, as fragile as the pieces of an old clay pot. "Don't worry Misawa, I know you're scared, but everything's going to be all right." Misawa suddenly felt himself shrinking down, and the strength of Sayuri's grip only increased. "You see? You are my proof, you are the living proof that I can do this, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you enter the new world as easily as possible. And then, and then he will have to…"

"Sayuri, stop!" Misawa cried out in a high-pitch that shocked him. Sayuri fell back for a moment, and stared in shock at the young boy before her. Misawa looked up into her eyes, his own youthful eyes brimming with understanding. "Listen to me, I can't be what you want me to be, and even if I could, it wouldn't solve anything. I know this will be incredibly difficult, but you need to accept your loss and move on." Sayuri just stared down at Misawa, then grabbed onto him all the tighter, crushing both their bones in her embrace.

"No, this is my dream, this is what I've always dreamed and wanted, and I know I can make it come true, I know I can, I am so warm and kind and full of love, because I'm not a failure, my body is not too weak for this, it isn't isn't isn't…" A veil of shadow fell across the barren wasteland, and Misawa awoke.

He felt at his face, confirming that he hadn't inexplicably lost the past ten years of life from his body. In fragments the memory of the dream resided in his memory, and he looked them over one by one. "I'd suspected something like that, but to see how it is for her…and that darkness, it didn't seem like something that was part of the dream." Misawa sighed, and got up out of bed. "I must prepare myself." Misawa went to his desk, and went over his deck one last time, making the key adjustments for victory. For a moment he saw the spirit of the Nine-Tailed Fox in his deck growl in approval, and he knew that he would have to trust this path to healing.

* * *

"Damn, that was close!" Momoe Hamaguchi yelled out, her voice barely able rise over the roar of the wind as it sent branches and rocks flying all throughout the canyon that she found herself in. Her coattails flapped up and down in that furious wind, and she was never more thankful that Duel Academia's uniforms did not include stupidly tiny mini-skirts than at that moment. "Still, I've got to find some shelter around here somewhere, or my head's going to get taken off by the next bit of debris." So Momoe tried to search, but the wind pressing against her face was so intense that she couldn't even open her eyes so long as it was blowing the way it was. After several fruitless minutes of struggling to see, she happened upon a huge heavy rock, buried into the ground, against which the wind availed itself naught. She ran behind the rock and looked around…and there it was; it was small and high up, but there was a cave in wall of the canyon, and it was her only chance.

She memorized the path, made sure that she didn't miss any crags or cracks or anything, and made a break for it when the wind was at its nadir. Slowly and certainly Momoe made her way towards the cave, and as she did the wind grew fiercer and fiercer; if not for a particularly stubborn root she would have been blown off and broken her neck. As she crested the top, it seemed as though the pitch of the wind was rising, resembling more and more a mad cackling laughter with every passing moment. The moment Momoe entered the cave, the wind was silenced not a moment too soon.

"Get the hell out!" A feral voice yelled out from somewhere in the dark corner of the cave. "I'm warning you, you bastard, if you don't get out of here I'll tear you apart!" Momoe stood frozen, unsure whether to retreat or to advance. "Go on, I mean it! I really can do it you know, and after all that you've done to me, I can do it to you!" Between the incoherent growls and guttural declarations, Momoe found that she could recognize the voice.

"Kouta?" Even though she couldn't see him, his flinching was a solid thing in the air, a heavy weight that threatened to pull her into the ground. "It is you, isn't it?" Momoe drew herself up, seizing the momentum of the moment. "Did you have your master arrange this in an effort to bring me back into the Association of Light? Well, it's not going to work!"

"Shut up!" Kouta's voice yelled from out of the darkness, fear and anger in a dead heat against each other. "An ignorant peon like you, a worthless tool of that man's experiments, has no right to this place. I will have parity, there shall be equity, I must have justice, and you are only an impediment to the achievement of that goal, so be gone!" A thunderous wind issued out from the cave, yet for all its strength Momoe was able to endure it, bracing herself down into the very rock itself.

"That man," Momoe said, her voice slowing down. "Why did you lie to me back then? Why did you lead me to think that Daitokuji hadn't hurt you? I could have helped you." There was a silence, as though every last particle of air in all the world was being held in place, and Momoe could feel a terrible presence emerging from the darkness.

"To be able to help," Kouta said as he stepped out of the shadow, hunched over in pain. "There must be understanding, and understanding demands equality of suffering." As he raised his head, Momoe saw a faint presence shimmering around his shoulders. "You, who were blessed by your curse, can't hope to relate to someone like me, someone whose trust was violated beyond all measure!" Kouta reared back, as though he were readying himself to pounce, and Momoe could see it, the demon bearing down on his back; it wore the face of a monster who dressed himself in the flesh of a man, Daitokuji.

"Wait, you've got it all wrong, I…!" Momoe found her voice silenced as the wind was knocked right out of her, and just as Kouta was about to attack, driven by the demon on his back, a wave of darkness fell upon them, separated them, and Momoe awoke.

"I guess," Momoe said as she looked down at herself, examining her body to check and make sure that nothing was hurt, "I guess I wasn't the only one being stupid and stubborn." She sat still and looked upon the wall before her, the wall of her room in the Obelisk Blue dorm, the very room that she'd fought for and earned earlier that year. She took out her deck from her nightstand, and studied it. "I guess I could figure out a way to work a little humility into you, couldn't I? She felt the glaring presence of Dark Necrofear, and took the challenge.

* * *

"How very curious." Momiji Todo said as he made his way through the woods, stepping over the excessive abundance of underbrush. "I would have thought that a fire would have passed through here long ago; if this clutter is not dealt with, the forest is going to die." Indeed, Momiji did a few cursory tests, summoning the requisite tools from the ether of the dream world he was in, and found that at least half the trees and bushes were not getting sufficient nutrients to be able to survive, much less grow. He paused, and listened to the rustling of the leaves in the wind. He felt the presence of a stag beetle crawling on his back, but he did nothing to remove it. As he waited, it made its way to his collar bone and then took off. Momiji followed after it, climbing over the increasing and growing pile of muck, until he reached his destination.

"You want me to beg, don't you?" Yumi Ayame declared, arms and legs bound by chains locked into place as the pile of refuse before her continued to grow, red wings growing out of her back with all the feathers plucked away. The patterns of faces, countless in numbers, formed themselves in the leaves and sticks and dirt before her. "You would derive such joyous rapture from my debasing myself in such a fashion, wouldn't you? But I know better than that; even fools can learn from their mistakes, and when you see what comes of yours, you will wish that you could beg for my judgment." She then spat upon the refuse. "But I won't give you the satisfaction. Not even then, not even as the end your world comes." But still, all the faces before her, they all remained silent, unresponsive.

"Who are these people, and how is it that they can stop you from doing what you need to do?" Momiji said as he crested the pile, casually walking across the silent faces as he did. "All this needs to be burned away if the forest is to survive."

"You think I don't know that, you time wasting twerp?" Yumi tried to point an accusatory finger at the faces, but the chains were strong. "It's them that need to understand, they're the ones who need to understand that they need to make way for the future, and if they would just stop interfering…!" A number of birds descended upon her, and just as they were about to strike… "Don't even try!" And the birds flew away, shrieking in terror. "All this, because they know that they haven't broken me, haven't changed my fundamental nature; I still know what comes naturally to me, the straightforward and simple path of destruction, and I will not be denied this."

"But you do know that you have to be careful, don't you?" Momiji said, wiping the sweat from his brow; the air was becoming noticeably warmer the closer he got to Yumi. "If you really are going to destroy the old, you have to make sure that…!" The chain binding Yumi's right arm snapped, became red hot, and with one solid whipping motion she wrapped it around Momiji's waist.

"For a few picoseconds I actually thought that you might have begun to grasp the lesson I was trying to teach you back at the Kaiba Corp Elite Virtual Realm Challenge; but just as you were intent on deceiving me and toying with me then, you are now repeating verbatim the vitriolic backhanded self-serving nonsense that they always have." The chain turned from red to blue, scalding Momiji's skin more and more thoroughly. "I am fully and entirely capable of channeling the power of destruction to constructive ends, and the sooner you and all the others cease your endless whining, second-guessing and all your other worthless noises…!" Just as the chain began to turn white hot, just as it was about to melt through Momiji and bisect him, a wave of darkness descended upon the scene. It brought icy cool sting to Momiji's flesh, bringing him to a fitful state of wakefulness.

"So that's the extent of the situation. " Momiji turned over in his bed to make himself more comfortable. "Well, I can't prepare for tomorrow anymore then I already have." He paused in thought, contemplating that last wave of darkness that separated him from Yumi. "Mizuchi…thank you." And with that, Momiji Todo returned to the peace of sleep.

* * *

"Tarou!" Rei Saotome called out into the rain, the thundering heavy rain that came down without relent. "Tarou Araide, where are you?" It was as though a river was falling down upon the city streets, like a waterfall with the entire sky as its source, and only by standing within the comfort of the courtyard of the manor could Rei remain safe from that fierce deluge.

But it was beyond that deluge where her cousin waited for her, so she braved that storm. Immediately the rain began to tear at her, tear at the signs, tear away at the very street itself. And yet, to the very limits of Rei's vision, not one building in the city was at all touched or harmed by the water; not one piece of garbage was swept away, not one patch of graffiti was washed away. The nameless city itself stood untouched by the rage of nature, a testament to the untouchable and untamable will of humanity. Rei kept this information to the side, in case it proved useful, but her focus remained on finding her cousin.

"Tarou, don't you remember your promise to me?" She yelled out, heedless of how heavy the water was on her face, how soaked to the bone she was. "You said that if I made it to Duel Academia and learned how to be a true duelist, that you'd face me again." Rei felt the lapel of her coat get ripped off in the rain, but she ignored it, continuing her way where her instincts told her to go. "I don't know what could have happened to you, but the Tarou I knew would never break his word, not even under pain of death!" The rain was unresponsive and unyielding, giving no quarter and asking none in return.

"Please." The voice echoed impossibly through the rain, making itself heard. "Turn back Rei." Rei focused her eyes, and in the distance she saw the rain flowing over a black shell that shined in the darkness. "I don't know how you got this far…no, I suppose I do know. I do know you, after all." The voice came from beneath that shell, passing through it as though it weren't there at all. "Our family, both your branch and mine, we're all known for fighting our hardest to get what we know we deserve. That determination has served our lines very well…but it has to end. It has already cost me far too much, cost my victim far too much…"

"Victim!?" Rei exclaimed, her jaw dropped. "What the hell are you talking about Tarou? If you think that making up a bull story like that is going to trick me, you've got another thing coming!" Rei ran up to the shell, nearly tripping, and then in one mighty thrust she up-ended the whole thing, revealing Tarou Araide. Rei stared at her cousin as he stood before her, her eyes wide in shock in an effort to take in all that she saw.

"Rei, you know I can't lie." The lines on his face were pronounced, as though he'd aged thirty years in one. "My face has always given me away, and that is why I had to run, and hope. Even as others assured me that my sins would be washed away, I knew that in this world of ours, such a promise was meaningless. Rei, my soul is already condemned; I can't survive the coming of the new world. But you, your soul can still survive unharmed, unhurt, and without pain." The rain hammered down on him yet harder and harder, but Tarou paid it no mind. "But only if you walk away, Rei Saotome. So please, do this for me if not for yourself, and just walk away and let the Association of Light redeem the world."

"Tarou." Rei said in a huff, her fists balled up in anger. "Stop beating around the bush; stop putting off the inevitable. The more you keep doing it, the more you hurt the both of us, so please, just show me what happened to make you think this way, think that you are a monster."

Tarou stared back at Rei, and as he was about to speak, a new wave, a wave of darkness appeared to separate them.

"Tarou, I will save you!" Rei shouted, and just before she awoke, she could swear that by her cousin's side, a boy in a wheel chair appeared, a boy whose face was full of pity and self-despair. And then she awoke. She got out of bed and went to the sink, rinsed her face off.

"That…that couldn't have been real." She cried into the sink, the water of her tears mixing with the water of the tap. "How could he have…how could he have done that to that boy, to anyone." Rei returned to bed, her thoughts impossibly heavy, and somehow returned to sleep.

* * *

"Mizuchi." Takuma stood in the midst of a great void colored a pure white. He looked across that void to see his sister standing in a void of pure black. Where the voids met, an unbreakable boundary was formed. Takuma placed his hand upon that boundary, and Mizuchi placed hers on her corresponding side as well. "Please, there has to be a way break this barrier down. After everything that you've done for me, after all the sacrifices that you've made for me, I can't let it end like this."

"Takuma." Mizuchi said, her voice soft yet firm. "It is exactly because of what I've done for you, of all that I've done for our cause, that I can't enter your new world." She closed her eyes in remembrance. "I made my decision on that day, and I would always make that decision. Just as you have always sought to redeem and save even in the blood filled future that you have foreseen, I have never once hesitated to strike and eliminate any threat to the peaceful future that I have foreseen for you. I gathered my apostles for this purpose, and they have fulfilled my every expectation." She opened her eyes and looked up into her brother's eyes.

"But…" Takuma Saiou said, so unlike his normal persona of the gifted and charmed speaker who always knew the right words and never spoke the word that was almost right. "Even so…is this truly to be the last time that we can speak? If so, then hear this; I will find a miracle, Mizuchi." Takuma held his hand at his side, clenched in a fist of vow. "My sister, I will find a way to take hold of the reigns and command the future in its entirety. The new world coming for us, the world of Light that shall bring us all peace and understanding, it is as much your world as it is mine, and I will see you walking into that world at my side, where you belong." The Saiou siblings found themselves parting from one another, the voids between them splitting apart, and they turned away from one another.

As Mizuchi awoke, she looked into the mirrors that she always kept at her side. In them, she saw her disciples, sleeping peacefully, her darkness dividing the bridge of souls that had briefly connected them to their destined opponents. She then looked to her barrier of Darkness, and saw to it that no more souls would be connected that night. "Tomorrow, it all ends. I have made my peace, so please, do not mourn me overlong in the new world."


	40. Chapter 40

**Outside the Citadel of Darkness, In the Castle of Light.**

"This is exactly what I was worried about." Misao said beneath her breath as she glared at Kanda, clothed in a white robe and surrounded by the unconscious bodies of the rest of the Underground League duelists, a dozen all together. "It's a good thing I made sure those kids and the teachers got out of here right away, or this would have been really ugly."

"Indeed it would have." Kanda spoke between snickers, his whole mannerism filled with great mirth. "Ah, after being cooped up in that dark cellar for so long, it certainly is great to be able to look upon the rising sun and accept its warm blessings." He then bowed before Misao, bowed deeply in a pose of deep supplication. "Forgive me for any temporary pain and distress you might suffer in the process, my Lady Thorn, but I must share this blessing with you, and together we can advance the cause of the Association of Light." As Kanda spoke, his eyes began to glow with an intensity that Misao could have hardly imagined, if not for the duel she'd witnessed the night before.

"If that's how you want to handle things Kanda, if this is the time and place you want to have our duel…" Misao sported a grin as sharp as her title's namesake. "Then I guess I have no choice but to accept this challenge." She armed her duel disc, and hoped that she wouldn't come to regret having come all this way for that brat Edo Phoenix.

* * *

"Hey Edo," Judai said as he looked across to Edo Phoenix as they ran, "You sure you're okay with this, with leaving that Lady Thorn lady without any backup?" It was a difficult conversation to have on the run, but there was no choice in the matter; time was of the essence and every moment counted.

"Of course Judai." As Edo said this, he recalled her insistent glare as her friend Kanda brought his attack into full swing. "For us to overcome Saiou's ultimatum, we each have to be ready and willing to perform our role."

"That's right Edo." Asuka said, keeping a steady jog that she could endure for hours if need be. "Misawa, Momiji, Momoe, and Rei, they've each split up to find the apostles they faced back at the KC EVRC, so that they can clear the path for us to reach Mizuchi and Takuma." She recalled Momiji's explanation for the nature of the barrier that Mizuchi had erected, about how it's very presence on the island served as a sort of 'Bridge of Souls' that connected the dreams of very specific individuals.

"And remember," Professor Hibiki called back as she ran ahead of everyone, "Principal Samejima, Professor Chronos, Manjoume, Marufuji, and Makita, they're all doing their level best to rescue as many students as they can; for every soul we release from Saiou's grasp, the better our situation becomes." Even as she said this, Midori's mind was, as it had been since the end of the KC EVRC, on the subject of what she was going to do when she would finally be able to face Mizuchi. Judai showed no outward signs of what had been done to him, but a sister knew, even without the benefit of a bond of blood.

They ran and ran, and finally they reached their destination, the Osiris Red dorm, the site from which Takuma Saiou had directed his Association of Light. And while nothing on the outside had changed, Judai didn't need to see to know that his old dorm was nothing at all how he'd remembered it. "Still," he said as approached the front door, "where's this barrier of darkness that's supposed to stop us? Do you think it's further in?"

"Judai!" Edo's warning came too late; the very moment Judai's hand was upon the door, he froze as the unseen darkness descended upon him. Edo rushed up to him and tried to pull him away, but Judai's grip was too strong.

"Here, let me help, we'll do this together!" Asuka went to the other side of Judai and braced to shove him away as Edo continued to pull. Even so, their arms gave out without moving Judai even so much as a micron, and they could see in his face a nameless nightmare running rampant within him. His pupils dilated, his veins were distended from blood pressure, and his breathing was becoming so fast and high pitched it seemed as though he was about to hyperventilate.

Silently, without a word, Professor Hibiki put her hand on Judai's shoulder, just so. Immediately, Judai released his hold on the door and embraced her tightly. He sobbed softly as she guided him away from the dorm, guiding him to rest against a nearby tree.

"Thanks, Midori…I'll be ready once the barrier's down…" Judai then nodded off, far more exhausted from his ordeal then he was from the running. Edo and Asuka walked up to him, and observe how peaceful he looked now, how stark the transition was from a moment ago.

"Like a baby." Edo mused. "That's quite the touch you have, Professor Hibiki."

"I know." Asuka said with a mix of shock and admiration. "How did you do that?"

Professor Hibiki brushed Judai off and stood up to face her other students. "I can't even begin to count the times Kouyou and I had to put Judai back to bed after a nightmare he got from watching a horror movie; it took me quite a while to figure the trick out, but sometimes you need a gentle touch." Satisfied that Judai was no longer in danger, she turned her attention back to the fortress before them. "And sometimes, you need a firm, powerful blow."

* * *

"So, what do you think, Lady Thorn? Is this not a fit abode for what you deserve?" Misao looked all around herself, and found that Kanda's field spell card had fully consumed the field. "Shien's Sanctified Fortress." A castle from the Warring States era, built, crafted, and molded of the purest shimmering gold. "In this place, an army can be fielded in an instant, a loyal and devoted force that responds to the call of their master without hesitation. Thus, I summon every member of the Six Samurai in my hand to the field in defense mode."

Like something out of a Sentai show, the five samurai warriors leaped out into the air and assumed a defensive posture that was both practical and dramatic; The blindfolded Irou with the Katana, Kamon with his sticks of dynamite, Yaichi with and tall helmet, Yariza with the Yari and faceguard, and Zanji with the brilliant Naginata. All together, they formed a wall that shift and change with the needs of the moment.

"Well, so this is how you overcame the others?" Misao drew her card and looked at it grimly. "Well, it won't do me any good to give up right out of the gate…I play Cost Down, discarding one card to reduce Gigaplant's level by two, allowing me to summon it without sacrifice." Gigaplant arose from the ground, breaking apart the fine clay tiles and neatly plowed soil. It reached with vines and praying mantis claws to claim Yariza, but Irou leapt forward with his Katana, sacrificing himself for his brother.

"No love greater then this…" Kanda paused, and then grinned, "Well, except for one, but we'll be getting to that in its own time. Right now, we have an entire world to heal, to redeem!"

"Don't be so conceited Kanda; in a few hours this will all be over, and we'll be able to laugh about it back in the Underground. I set one card and end my turn."

"Forget the Underground!" Kanda bellowed, his eyes wide and dilated. "That place is only a prison, an unworthy domicile for the likes of you! In the new world, there will be no need for such a thing as the Underground League, and you will be where you belong, with me at your side! Now, because of Shien's Sanctified Fortress, I can only attack with two monsters on my turn, so I will shift Yariza and Zanji into attack mode, and now I activate Yaichi's effect to destroy your face down card." Yaichi drew the string of his bow…

"I activate Plant Food Chain and equip it to Gigaplant, raising its attack power by five hundred points."

"Hm. And now I activate Kamon's effect to destroy your face-up trap card." Kamon lit the dynamite in his hand and tossed it with an expression of sadistic glee; the explosive force and the fire ended the main power of the trap.

"When Plant Food Chain is destroyed while equipped to a monster, I can special summon a plant monster from the grave." Botanical Lady sprouted up in defense mode.

"And now that all that is out of the way, the real battle can begin; I summon Spirit of the Six Samurai, and equip it to Yariza, raising his attack power by five hundred points, and with his effect he attacks directly!" Yariza braced as his body became outlined by the fiery blue spirit, and fired a beam of energy from his yari; the beam warped around Misao's monsters and impaled her directly with a spiritual spear for 1500 points of damage. "And now Zanji will attack Gigaplant, and with his effect he will destroy Gigaplant automatically at the end of the damage step." Zanji twirled his naginata over his head, generating a powerful energy; he struck down on the ground to drive that energy into Gigaplant, and Kamon dove in to intercept the feedback, preserving Zanji from destruction. "True, I take six hundred points of damage, but I believe this to be worth it; this, is my determination, and my drive to bring you into the fold, Lady Thorn. I end my turn."

"Kanda…" Misao paused, breathing deep to rid herself of the pain of the blow she'd just taken; it was her method for enduring that sort of thing, though usually there were needles, blades, even fires behind the intense sensation. But a pure psychic assault on the senses… "I know that you've considered yourself my knight, and I'm thankful for all your assistance over the years. But if you're going to let yourself think that that entitles you to live out some fantasy dream world, then it's up to me to bring you back to reality, and remind you of who we are. I set one monster, and end my turn."

"That's okay, Lady Thorn; I understand perfectly. I was once as lost and in pain as you are now, and so I hold nothing you say against you. I play The Warrior Returning Alive to add Irou back to my hand from the grave, and I summon him to the field, and with his effect he can destroy your facedown monster without activating its effect or performing damage calculation." Irou drew his sword and struck in the same movement, far too swift for Rafflesia Seduction to activate its effect. "And now Irou will attack directly." Once more Misao was run through, leaving her with only 1000 life points left. "That is all, and on the next turn, all will be as it should be, my Lady Thorn."

"As it should be?" Misao said with a cold laugh. "What exactly do you mean? Do you mean as you think it should be, or as Takuma Saiou thinks it should be? Do you really think a world where we've all been lobotomized, where we've all become pawns to another's will, is the kind of world that we fought for? Don't you even remember why it was that we usurped the Underground League from those pigs that controlled our lives?"

"Why?" Kanda paused, his face brutally honest. "I dueled to defend you, because I believed in you; the cause that you fought for, the cause of control for our own fates and refinement of our souls on our terms…I went along with that cause, but in my soul it mattered not to me. It seemed the path that you wanted, so that was I fought for." The energy of his voice was rising. "But now that I have seen the Light, seen what is to come, I see that I must show you this glorious new world to come, and show you the truth of what you are to me. Lady Thorn I…"

"That is enough Kanda." Misao stuck her hand out, silencing him. "You are not yourself, and regardless of why this is not the time to say such things; more importantly, it seems that I must show you the power of the real; I set one trap card, and then activate the spell card Card Renewal, sending both my trap and my monster to the grave to draw three cards, and with Botanical Lady's effect, I can add Lonefire Blossom to my hand, so I summon it and sacrifice it to special summon Tytannial Princess of Camellias in attack mode." As the bomb plant exploded, the rose queen erupted from the ground, looking disdainfully at her opponents. "Now, I set three cards, and I attack Yariza." Thick thorny whips sprouted all around the samurai, and slammed him against the ground.

"But the only one to perish shall be the spirit, leaving behind an able bodied warrior that will finish this and make the dream come true! The moment my turn begins, I will attack directly for one thousand points of damage, and win!"

"Wrong." Vines wrapped themselves and embedded themselves into every samurai. "By the effect of Ivy Shackles, all your monsters become plant types, and now by the effect of Bamboo Scrap, I sacrifice your plant-type Yariza to special summon two Bamboo Scrap tokens to your side of the field in defense mode.

"Truly the challenges against the light are many, but I will overcome them! I'll have Yaichi destroy your remaining face-down card and then forge ahead for victory!" But as the arrow struck, the card began to glow.

"By attempting to destroy it, you've triggered the trap, Queen's Command; when Tytannial is on the field, I can send one other card I control to the grave and destroy all non plant monsters on the field. The card I send is Ivy Shackles, and thus are all your samurai slain simultaneously, incapable of protecting each other." A veritable threshing mill of weeds and thorns tore through the samurai, leaving nothing behind.

"But…but just as you have reversed these circumstances, so shall I! I summon Hand of the Samurai in defense mode, and end my turn."

"…Behold, Kanda." Misao spoke with a sigh, as though full of melancholy. "My spell card, Thorn of Hatred." Tytannial's right arm became a vicious vine, a thorn encrusted thing that oozed with a deadly venom. "You think that you admire me, but the truth is that you've been admiring an image of me in your own mind; you've constructed an entire story in your head, and now you are convinced that you can make it real. But I am no lady, and you are no loyal samurai; we are the scum of the dueling world, derided by virtually everyone and dismissed as perverse freaks. We are not the sort of people who belong in the Light, and we are not the sort of people who desire that Light."

"We rejected that path; we had the opportunity to walk away, but we didn't. Do you know why?" Kanda nodded his head.

"Because we needed to face down the monsters of our own souls, and become people who had truly overcome our pasts." The Light had already begun to fade from Kanda's eyes.

"Exactly. So let me bring you back into the Darkness, and together we shall overcome, and prove that even in the dark corners of the world that everyone would like to look away from, we can still be human. Now, with Thorn of Hatred's effect, Tytannial's attack power rises by six hundred points, and she penetrates defense." Her attack was swift, claiming the Hand and with it the power of the Light.

Kanda hesitated as he collapsed, silent as Misao walked up to him. "I apologize, Lady Thorn; even now, I can't bring myself to address you as anything other than that. And while Takuma had a powerful charisma, it was my own vice that drove to this path."

"And now it's time for you to show all those who are still lost in the Light, that Darkness isn't evil, any more than the Light is good." She checked on the unconscious Underground Duelists, and found the Light gone from their eyes as well. "Come, Kanda!" And so they departed, seeking out new Association of Light duelists to face in battle.


	41. Chapter 41

**Ashen Fields, Fallow Hope**

"Hello, Sayuri." Misawa had found her, appropriately enough, on the eastern cliff face of the island, a patch of land where the soil was too weak to support even grass or weeds. She was down on her knees, tilling the sand to form the symbol of Seiryu. "So, are you ready?"

"I've always been ready." Sayuri clenched her hands, capturing the sand and looking very small despite her tall lanky build. "As far back as I can remember, I've always been ready, Misawa. I've trained my heart all my life, and I know that I can give, and give, and give without end; I can afford this, so I can forgive you Misawa." She stood up and armed her duel disc. "No matter how many times you leave me, I will always forgive you. No matter how many times it is broken, I will show you that this frail heart of mine is strong enough to fulfill my dreams. So, let us duel, and bring my fate in accordance with the new world that is coming, the Eternal Dawn."

"Dreams." Misawa reflected on what it was that he saw the previous night, the empty and barren fields and the harvest that Sayuri had yielded from those fields with her hands. "I suppose that a dream like yours can't be brushed aside so casually. Very well, I'll start things off and play Graceful Charity, drawing three and discarding two. Next, I play Magical Stone Excavation, discarding two cards to bring back Graceful Charity, and I play it again. And now I summon King of the Skull Servants in defense mode, and set one card to end my turn."

"Yes, the return of the dead; I can tell that you've advanced your duel greatly, that you've learned to develop your control of the cycle of life and death…but I have advanced my power past that. You will be witness to this, a transcendent rebirth that will forever defy death and only affirm life. I summon Giant Rat and attack your undead lord." The rat grabbed the skull right off of the King's head, and chewed it down until it was nothing.

"Now I remove the Skull Servant in my grave from play to bring back King of the Skull Servants in defense mode."

"You've begun to grasp the rudiments, Misawa." Sayuri said as her eyes conveyed joy and pride. "If you hadn't left the Association of Light, walked away from me, I could have guided you so much further. But you did. So I shall play the permanent spell card Fundament; with it, whenever a monster I control would be sent to the grave, it is instead returned to my deck. I'll set one card, and end my turn."

"And I'll discard a card from my hand to activate Haunting." The formless spirits of the dead spread themselves thin across the battlefield, bringing a terrible cold to the air. "Once per turn, I can sacrifice an undead monster I control to special summon another from my grave; thus, I sacrifice King of the Skull Servants to bring back Crow Tengu, whose effect allows me to destroy your Giant Rat outside of battle." The goblin with the crow's wings waved his fan, banishing the Rat to the realm of death. But not a moment later, it returned to the realm of potential, Sayuri's deck.

"And with that, the condition for activating my trap card, Dragged Down, is fulfilled; I add a Rock monster from my deck to my hand, and then I send a number of Rock monsters equal in level to the monster added to my hand. Thus, I send seven monsters to add the level seven Megarock Dragon to my hand." But with nothing to protect her on the field, Crow Tengu's direct attack carried through, dealing 1400 points of damage to Sayuri.

"Sayuri!" Misawa saw her reel from the force of the blow, saw the way she winced in pain; she hadn't done that in their previous duel, and the blow was weaker this time.

"Thank you, Misawa." She said with a smile on her face. "Your concern and worry, they are as they should be; they show me that you remember how things should be, and how much you know you owe me. Now, I summon to the field, Loyal Golem." A huge and heavy set construct appeared, its brow marked by an empty circle that signified its zero attack power and 2000 defense power. "By sending this card to the grave, I can send all the rock monsters whose original attack exceeds its own." An ominous rumbling filled the air as the very ground itself shook. "Now, I will achieve transcendence over death, I will defy weakness and emptiness itself to give birth to this, my ultimate monster, Megarock Dragon!"

As all eleven cards in Sayuri's grave vanished from existence, their very memory forgotten, the huge and gravid form of the Megarock Dragon appeared; constructed of the very earth itself, it was a vast and hearty creature, possessing 7700 attack points from the power of all monsters that were lost to bring it into being.

"This is the power that I can nurture and raise, Misawa. It is the very living proof of my worth, and with this winning blow I will claim the destiny that I've always desired, even if it isn't as I'd thought it would be; accept my warm embrace Misawa, and bid farewell to death. Megarock Dragon, attack, Rage of Seiryu!" As the stone dragon of the eastern earth dug its claws into the ground, deep underground, the weight of the world began to crush the Crow Tengu.

"Trap card activate, Memory of Death! With this, I send Crow Tengu to the grave and reduce battle damage this turn by half!" Ghostly hands and savage imps carved away at the terrified goblin, but that was not all; as the force of the Megarock Dragon's claws ripped into Misawa's body, a hole in the world seemed to form, and through that hole, Misawa saw Sayuri weeping.

"No, don't go!" She cried out into the darkness. "We can still try, there are options left to us, I know there are."

"We?" A male voice called out, dismissive and callous; the image of Sayuri winced far worse than from the blow of any monster. "You're the only one who's failing; you're the one who's to blame for me not having a son! Loyalty, wealth, and a son, those were the three things you promised me, and without the third the first two mean nothing." Misawa could not see the man, only his shadow which bore the wings of an angel.

"I know, darling…but, at the least, there's always adoption, isn't there?" The air became deadly sharp, as though you'd cut your tongue upon it if you weren't careful.

"Think for once you worthless sow! I will not have someone else's abandoned whelp inherit MY good name! But you don't care about that, do you? No, all you care about is your pretty little fantasy of a little one at your feet. But I have far greater aspirations then that in life, and if you can't perform your role in my life, then I have no choice but to toss you aside."

"No!" The memory of Sayuri shrieked as the thunder-fall of the man's footsteps grew ever more distant, until they faded away all together.

The hole in the world closed, and as it did, Misawa heard the familiar growl of the Nine-Tailed Fox in his hand. "Did you…" He whispered as he looked down at it.

"A child." The real Sayuri said, the tears streaming down her face. "I would have liked to carry one in my own body, but even without that, raising one and seeing their loving face look into mine would have been enough. But in this world of ours, my body is simply too weak, and my heart was not yet strong enough to see hope beyond the darkness that my husband had cast over me."

"But with Mizuchi's help, my heart has become strong and I have found you, you who are in desperate need of my nurturance and guidance to save you, to keep you from becoming overshadowed, ignored, and cast away. So please, Misawa; show me that my love, that the love of a mother, can reach you and surrender to me." She wiped the tears from her eyes and placed her hand upon her monster.

Misawa found it hard to focus; even at half damage, he was left with only 150 life points left. He could not afford a single misstep, not in the duel, and not in helping Sayuri break through the lies of her life.

"Sayuri, it is not that I'm ungrateful." Misawa forced himself to smile through the pain, his sides screaming red with virtual scarring. "I'm very thankful in fact; you've shown me a care and concern that I'd forgotten to be honest. My parents were always distant, physically and emotionally, and it is because of all this, of what you've given me despite all your own losses, that I want to help you now. And thus, I have to tell you that despite all that, you can't keep treating yourself or myself the way you are; you can't keep giving of yourself endlessly, and you can't try to turn me against one of…no, my most precious friend, Momiji. I will defend his honor, and I will save you from your sorrow."

In that moment, Misawa saw in his mind the image of Katsuya Jounouchi dueling Malik in the Battle City finals to save Mai Kujaku; for years Misawa had sought to be that kind of hero, but now that he was there, after everything that he'd been through to get there, he took no pride in it. The task before him was far too important for that sort of posturing, this he knew.

"Misawa…" Sayuri's face became stern, forceful. "It seems I must discipline as well; be patient with me, for soon you will forget all about that worthless thief that has dared to harm your place in the world. Take your turn, and show me why I can be proud of you, truly proud."

"It won't seem like much now, but I'll set one card and end my turn."

"That's all? That is vastly insufficient. But that's my fault, my failure to you."

"Sayuri, you can't keep thinking that way; if you continue to blame yourself for the faults of others, if you keep taking responsibility for that…for that bastard who threw you away, then you won't ever be happy. You need to think of yourself, before you can think of others, of me. Momiji and I, we learned this from each other."

"…I summon Empty Golem to the field." This construct almost entirely transparent, zero attack and zero defense. "I remove it from play to render Megarock Dragon immune to the effects of spells and traps, so long as I continue to skip my draw phase." An invisible barrier was erected around the mighty dragon. "Rage of Seiryu." The dragon's roar echoed across the whole of the island, channeling with it Sayuri's hopes, dreams, and sorrows.

"Trap card activate, Shinigami's Command." The reaper appeared and held off the attack with the flat of its scythe. "I select an undead monster in my hand, and then send the top four cards of my deck to the grave; if one of those cards is a monster with a greater attack power then the one in my hand, then I can negate your attack and special summon that monster. I choose the Nine-Tailed Fox in my hand." Misawa watched the four cards carefully; Gozuki, Lady in Wight, Saber of Malice, and Akaoni. "Because Akaoni had an attack power of twenty-eight hundred, I special summon the twenty-two hundred attack power Nine-tailed Fox from my hand and negate your attack." A barrier of bushy tails erupted from the ground, spinning to generate a hurricane that blocked the great dragon. As the Nine-Tailed Fox landed on its feet, Misawa could instinctively recognize the presence of something more than just the solid vision hologram; he'd known it for a while, but with this he knew victory was imminent.

"It matters not, Misawa; none of your undead possess the strength to overcome the life affirming power of my dragon; there is nothing that you can call upon from the grave to win. Please, just surrender, for me."

"I'm sorry Sayuri, but maybe if I show you this, you can understand; I play the spell card, Nine Fold Illusion." The eyes of the fox spirit glowed brighter and brighter, until that light consumed the whole field. "When there are exactly nine undead in my grave, and the Nine-tailed Fox is on my field, I special summon a Nine-tailed token to every space on the field, yours and mine." The light rushed away, leaving behind eight more fox spirits that howled as one, four on Misawa's field, four on Sayuri's. "And when a Nine-tailed token is destroyed, you take four hundred points of damage."

Two fox spirits engaged in battle, then four, six, and eight. They clawed and bit and tore away at the very land itself and as each one fell, another tail whipped down on Sayuri. And Megarock Dragon, raised and nurtured and empowered as it was, could do nothing as the true Nine-tailed Fox held it still with its gaze.

As the last of Sayuri's life points were lost, the Megarock Dragon collapsed in on itself, unable to sustain itself any more. "What did I do wrong?" Sayuri said to herself as she fell to her knees, an aura of darkness dissipating and flowing away from her. "I should have offered more of myself, given more of my body to the monster to protect it. How can I possibly be the mother I know I can be if I can't even protect one monster under my protection?"

"Sayuri." Misawa was now kneeling down in front of Sayuri, looking her directly in the eye. "Don't you understand? Your monster could have been the most powerful in all the game, but you didn't protect yourself, and so I was able to win; that's what I was trying to show you, and I know you can do it. You're a very powerful duelist and I know you can apply that elsewhere in life, but you need to believe in yourself first, before believing in your dream."

"But…" Sayuri tried to pull her eyes away from Misawa's, but couldn't. "My child, my proof…without that, how can I believe in myself after failing Mizuchi."

"I used to think that way myself." Misawa reflected on the events of the previous year during his battle against the Mirage of Deceit, of his conduct this year in the Association of Light. "I've found that it really helps to have a kindred spirit as a friend. Do you know anyone like that?"

"I," Sayuri looked to the southern part of the island, to where Yumi Ayame awaited Momiji Todo, "she couldn't…no, she is." Sayuri stood up, wary and nervous. "I, I treated her poorly, and I don't even know if we really are kindred spirits, but…" She looked into Misawa's eyes. "If you are indeed appreciative of what I tried to do for you, even despite everything, then I can try."

"Thank you Sayuri." Misawa said with a relieved sigh. "I wasn't sure if I could do this, and even though this is far from over, I think that you'll find that this world, isn't as cruel as that man was to you."

Sayuri nodded, and so she and Misawa began to return to the center, to where the source of the battle of fate had begun, where the dragon that dwelled at the center rested, Mizuchi Saiou.


	42. Chapter 42

**Howling Demons, Nightmare in the Air**

"So why did you do it?" Momoe Hamaguchi said to Kouta Hoshino as he gazed up into the sky, observing the clouds as the wind pushed them across the horizon. "Why did you lie to me about Daitokuji, pretend that he didn't torture you for his experiments? I could have gotten you help!"

"Help?" He said, not at all diverting his eyes from the heavens. "From you and your ilk? Heh, I can't imagine falling into the grip of that sort of desperation, and I can imagine a lot. And besides, I never lied to you at all, you pawn of the shadows; all I said was that I never gained the sort of dark and twisted powers that you've enjoyed courtesy of your precious Professor Daitokuji." Kouta turned around and glared at Momoe, the wind kicking in sympathy to his mood. "I'll note that your Duel Academia saw fit to hold him in the bowels of Kaiba Corp, far and away from the legal system, which serves me just fine; when the Eternal Dawn arises, Daitokuji will be obliterated from this Earth so utterly that not even the memory of his legacy will endure in the new world."

"So that's how you see us, how you see me?" Momoe's fist was in a tight grip, her focus keeping it steady. "You really think that we're all just a bunch of sociopathic monsters, that I would use others to advance myself?" Memories of the visions that drove her...that she'd allowed to drive her into the Association of Light ran through her mind. Alongside those memories were the memories of a pair of boys, Hisao and Kanako, who she'd taken pleasure in kicking off the island without even thinking of questioning the source of their debilitating derangements. "Well, I suppose I can't blame you too strongly for thinking that way; you're not in your right mind after all. "

"For a long time I wasn't, but thanks to Mizuchi Saiou, I have been able to suppress those dark impulses that that bastard Daitokuji implanted in me." Kouta whipped his arm out and armed his duel disc. "And with every soul that returns to the Light, the annihilation of the darkness will grow ever more complete; I claimed your soul once before, and I will do it again, and cast out all the demons and silence their pathetic cries forever!"

"Well, before we get start, I'm going to let you know a little something about this duel; while I can't really blame you for your thinking, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to go easy on you. It just means that before I finish this duel, I'm going to figure out how to slay the demon riding on your back. So go ahead, take your turn, but remember that nothing is as black and white as you think it is."

"Tch, only the meaningless prattle of a devil, soon to be driven away by the autumn wind; I start my turn by activating Fury of the Fury, removing from play two wind attribute monsters in my hand to special summon two Furious Tokens to the field." Twin walls of wind manifested, their howling cries reaching into Momoe's inner ear. "Now, I sacrifice my tokens and summon to the field Vengeful Djinn of the Winds!" A column of wind that stretched to the heavens whirled upon itself, and condensed into a pale white humanoid form; the lower half faded away into a tornado, and the upper half the bare-chested body of a vindictive man with bloodlust in his eyes. "Now I activate my permanent spell card, Wind of the Ages; with it, I can return a card I control to my hand during my end phase to inflict eight hundred points of damage to you. I'll set one card, and during my end phase return that card to my hand."

Piercing, cutting, razor-sharp shards of ice cold wind cut their way through Momoe. "Furthermore, with Djinn's effect you will take half again as much damage." The monster brought his hands together and ripped the veil of air in two, rebounding the wind against Momoe for another 400 points of damage. "Furthermore, the card I returned to my hand was Far and Away, and when so returned I can draw an extra card during my next draw phase. As you can see, the furious noise of your demons has already been silenced, lost in the invisible voice of the wind."

"...You know, you should wait for me to make my voice heard before making a proclamation like that; it would be really embarrassing for you if I ended up proving you wrong." Momoe paused, and listened to the silent whisper that dwelled just beyond her heart. "I summon Dark Jeroid in defense mode, and when summoned to the field one monster of my choice loses eight hundred attack points." Both faces of the foul demon grinned with joy and breathed noxious necrotic gasses upon the great djinn; its choking gasps almost created a hurricane, but it survived, though noticeably weakened from 3000 attack points to 2200. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."

"And there you go; unable to face your superior, you try and level the battlefield, try to alter the conditions that were so thoroughly stacked against you. I can appreciate such a desire, but for one tiny little detail; from the moment that bastard destroyed my life, the deck of fate has been stacked in your favor, not mine! You, who flirt with the powers of darkness and are able to love and be loved, you have no right or power to seek redress against my introduction of balance and justice in this corrupt world of ours!"

"You can't..." The enormity of this declaration stunned Momoe, but she realized it fit in entirely all too well with everything that she'd learned and seen of Kouta; his fixations and the nightmare that she saw the night before, it would be impossible to connect to another. Except... "But you mentioned Mizuchi..."

He paused, stared blankly across the horizon for a moment. Then his face became calm. "She is an exceptional human, beyond the likes of you or I; she is able to part me from my madness, from the darkness that festers in my soul, reducing it down to the level of a shrill whisper on the western wind. It is thanks to her that I am able to see the path to the future, to the path of peace and Light, and with her great power supporting and guiding me, I am able to change the very order of the world and crush all the false whims of man and silence the dictates dead gods and false demons, with only my voice guiding my will!"

"Now, I summon Subtle Soldier to the field." If Momoe squinted and tilted her head just right, she could make out the vague humanoid shape of the enemy monster, and the sword it wielded looked every bit as sharp as its 1600 attack points indicated. "And then I equip Vengeful Djinn of the Winds with Tearing Hurricane; when it destroys a monster by battle, you take half that monster's defense power as damage. Attack that hideous demon, Suffocation Asphyxiation." The Djinn reached out and dug its fingers into Dark Jeroid, drawing out every last breath of the monster before unleashing it as another vicious attack against Momoe for 750 points of damage.

"Trap card activate, Brotherhood of Vendetta; by special summoning a monster with less attack points then the destroyed monster from my hand in attack mode, I can special summon the destroyed monster in defense mode, but if either monster is destroyed, so is the other. So, in order to bring back the twelve-hundred attack power Dark Jeroid, I special summon the one-thousand attack power Sangan from my hand." The two faced demon returned, now joined the by three eyed monster. Dark Jeroid released yet another wave of noxious gasses upon the Djinn, bringing it to its would-be knees.

"Clearly, you are desperate to obey the dictates of the dark spirits of destruction that control you; why else would you follow such a self destructive dictate? But, if you insist on losing everything, then I will destroy both your monsters with my fully powered Subtle Soldier." With a wind current thinner then a razor wire, the Subtle Soldier bisected the Sangan for 600 points of damage, and Dark Jeroid was dragged to its death alongside it. "Futhermore, with Subtle Soldier's effect, I recover your battle damage as life points for myself."

"Maybe its because you can't connect, or maybe you just can't strategize, but either way you missed out on my plan; when Sangan is sent from the field to the grave, I can add a monster with fifteen hundred attack points or less from my deck to my hand, and when I add Infinity Dark to my hand I activate my other trap card, Turnabout of Tragedy, discarding Infinity Dark to deal damage equal to its attack power, fifteen hundred points." The demon dressed all in black appeared just behind Kouta, and with a hand as sharp as a knive it slashed across his throat and vanished into the grave.

"...You...and you dare to claim not to be a demon in service of that monster; how else would you know...how else could you summon that memory and force it upon me once more!" Kouta flailed his arms around, as though fending off some manner of invisible assailant. Try as she could, Momoe could not see the demon that haunted him, not in the waking world. "I set Far and Away again, and with my end-phase combo I deal another twelve hundred points of damage to you, leaving you with only two hundred and fifty life points left, and me with another two cards on my next turn." Once more the winds railed against Momoe, striking with a fury that was not of this world. "So, do you see it now? My power that far surpasses your useless inheritance of darkness? How I've reversed the manifest inequality of the world and revealed how worthless that monster's experiments were? Concede this point, Momoe, and return to the Light once more, and validate my power over the darkness."

"You know," Momoe said, breathing hard, winded by the force of the previous turn's attacks, "I think I'm beginning to get you; not just from what you say, but from how you're dueling; you're caught in a loop, and no matter how much you run, you can't get away from it if you won't let someone else show you the way out. So, I'm going to call in the help of a certain someone to show you the way. First, I play the spell card Manifest Inequality; when I control no cards, I can destroy all your spells and traps on the field and draw one card for each two I destroy." Demonic claws and talons destroyed Kouta's two spell cards, giving Momoe one in return. "And now, I remove all three demons in my grave from play to special summon to the field Dark Necrofear." A haunting song echoed across the battle, its source the infant doll that Dark Necrofear carried in its arms. And as this song played, the outline of a monster with its claws buried in the back of Kouta Hoshino's neck became visible to Momoe.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! I will silence your monster immediately, if not sooner, so go through the rest of your worthless turn!"

"All right, if that's how you want it. I summon Winged Minion and sacrifice it to Dark Necrofear to raise her attack power by seven hundred points, and then I attack your Djinn for fifteen hundred points of damage." Dark Necrofear narrowed her eyes by a fraction, inflicting a terrible horror upon the fallen Djinn, leaving no recourse for the vengeful monster. "Now I'll set one card and end my turn."

"Is that all? Do you really imagine that you've proven anything?" Kouta said through gritted teeth; the demon on his back was especially joyful at this interval, at this turn of events.

"Once a failure, always a failure." Momoe had to strain her ears to hear it, but the sound of Daitokuji's voice, the voice of the demon, was unmistakable to her. Neither could she mistake the chill down her spine that she'd experienced when she saw the man for the monster that he was.

"Let me show the power that surpasses your pathetic darkness by far! I discard the level six Wretched Oracle from my hand to raise Subtle Soldier's attack power by one thousand, but more importantly, now I can play Devil's Wind, removing my high level wind monsters in the grave to special summon Windswept Tiger from my deck!" The white tiger lined by black storm clouds roared with defiance as it leaped onto the field. "Now, I'll set Far and Away, and return it to my hand to rid you of your Dark Necrofear back to your hand, where it's useless!"

"Wrong! My trap card, Rush of Destruction, allows me to change your effect into a destruction one, as well as skipping your battle phase for this turn." Demonic fangs extended from the wind and consumed Dark Necrofear. And during the end phase, I'll be taking control of your Windswept Tiger."

Time passed, Kouta Hoshino was silent, but his internal battle was becoming clearer and clearer to Momoe Hamaguchi's eyes as the hymn of the fallen and broken mannequin grew louder and louder. "I end my turn." With that, the spirit of the doll claimed Windswept Tiger as its own, entirely its own.

"Traitor!" Kouta howled unrestrained. "I control you, nobody else!"

"Ooh, sorry Kouta." The demon of Daitokuji said, its voice and form as real for Momoe as it was to Kouta. "Looks like your ineptitude has cost you once more. And just like me, Mizuchi was smart enough to make sure she had other, more reliable subjects; she'd be in a real bind if she had to count on was you." He said with his bemused smile, causing Kouta to froth with anger as he lashed out.

"She is nothing like you! You only taught me the truth of your world, but Mizuchi showed me how to change it! If you blaspheme her name again...!" His eyes were wide with shock, for the demon now stared at Momoe.

"Well, this has certainly gotten rather boring, don't you think Momoe? And after all the time I spent upbringing this boy off the street, and he couldn't even gain half a fraction of the power you did." His catlike grin caused a cold sweat to spread across Momoe's brow. It was as though he were there in the flesh. "There are countless stories of those who emerge from adversity, tragedy, and abuse and become stronger for it, hardened by their experiences. But Kouta here could never manage that; I tried to harden him up, Mizuchi tried to raise him up, but the fact is that he'd always and would always be nothing more then a child frightened of the whispers he'd hear in the wind." He then turned back to Kouta, leaning over to close in on his eyes, invading his space even more.

"Well Kouta, weren't you going to prove me wrong? Weren't you going to show me that you weren't a failure and a waste of my time, that that year I spent caring for you like you were my own was not a pointless endeavor? I could have sworn that I recalled you wailing like the petulant little child who believed that there really was something he could do to be loved; unfortunately, while it was your fault, there was never anything you could do about it. Your soul, was just. Too. Weak."

"SHUT UP!" Both Kouta and Daitokuji turned to face Momoe, who was manifestly livid with anger. "You break people's lives for your twisted experiments, you torture and abuse for no better reason then to see what'll happen, and you have the gall to say that Kouta's soul is weak!?" Tears began to stream down Momoe's eyes, but they affected her speech not at all. "The power of the soul, it isn't a matter of whether you can summon real monsters, whether you can see the future or bend minds to your will; the power of the soul, it really is in the connections that you form with others. Real connections, not like the forced kinds that you find in the Association of Light, but real friendship and real love, where you have to see the real you both alone and together." She then focused her attention on Kouta.

"Listen to me; I know this is hard, especially with everything that you've been through. I can only imagine a fragment of the torment that you suffered at his hands, but so long as you're stuck playing his game, letting him define the rules of what you have to do to win freedom from him, then you never will be free. If you want to overcome that demon, to show him that you're not the failure that he called you, then you have to show that you don't give two shits what he thinks of you. And to do that, you're going to have to trust me; you're going to have to see that just because you lost this time, it doesn't make you weak or a victim, it just happens sometimes."

"...Easy for you to say." Kouta's voice was barely audible above his breath. "Look at where you are, and where I am; there's no comparison."

"Only because that's how you're letting yourself see me. Here...let me try and show you something." Momoe focused her will, and the Windswept Tiger roared. "I summon Goblin King, and return him to my hand to return Subtle Soldier to yours, clearing your field." Now with nothing to separate him from his former monster, Kouta found himself unable to look away from those eyes.

He saw in those eyes a vision, a vision of a duel held only a year ago. He absorbed the whole of the duel into his mind in only a matter of seconds. "The Prophet...you really were a creature of pride."

"Yep, and I still am. But I don't let it get the better of me, not anymore, not after this year; I know who I am, and I know who my friends are, and I can trust them. And I know that if you stretch your hand out to me, that you can trust me to take it, and help you take the first step in awaking from your endless nightmare. Are you ready to hear the wind be quiet."

Kouta looked away, uncertain. The demon of Daitokuji was struck silent, unable to do anything. Kouta focused his eyes back on Momoe. "All right, I'll give this to you." He held out his arm, and Momoe took it in hers. In that moment, the demon on Kouta's back suddenly found himself wrenched out of place and dropped on the ground; the Windswept Tiger had torn him loose, and he didn't even have time to scream before he was torn limb from limb, finishing the duel.

"I think you'll find that when you're really willing to reach out, that's when you really know who you are inside. Now, don't you want to show Mizuchi what you've learned?"

"Tch, don't act like you're my teacher; you helped a lot, but I've still got a long way to go." And so the two duelists began to make their way to the Osiris Red Dorm, where Takuma's dragon Mizuchi dwelled, acting as his hidden left hand in the Association of Light.


	43. Chapter 43

**Inferno of Hate, Embracing Possibilities**

"I'd advise you to stop where you are." Yumi Ayame called out to Momiji Todo, "Or at least I'd like to be able to say so; one a meter to your right, another half a meter south-southwest, and one two-thirds of a meter north-northeast of your position, that's where I'd put them."

"Land mines? Momiji said, his eyes widening by a fraction. "Doesn't that strike you as excessive for this circumstance?"

"I disagree; your very existence has been nothing but a continued insult to Mizuchi and myself. If not for you, this battle would have concluded long ago, with Judai firmly a member of the Association of Light, and there would be nothing to stop me from burning away every last bit of darkness left in the world. Now I have to go through the tedious motions of defeating you again, repeating this same tiresome sequence of actions...shit!" Yumi tugged at her vermillion headband, pulling it back into place. "This is not where I'm supposed to be! You perverse little freak, do you actually derive pleasure from keeping people from where they belong, keep them from the work they are meant to be doing in this world? And don't even bother trying to defend yourself in this matter, the truth of it is as plain as the bodies we wear!"

"...I find it unfortunate that you find it necessary to be so hostile over such a personal matter; but then again, considering the anger and hostility within you that desperately seeks release towards a useful end, I can't be hostile to you in return. Therefore, I suggest we continue this discussion during our duel, when our souls will have the chance to reach out to one another, and demonstrate through action the conviction of our words." Momiji armed his duel disc, his voice and form as steady as the very earth upon which he stood. "I will claim the first turn, and summon Botannical Lion in attack mode, followed by setting one card and activating The World Tree to end my turn." Momiji now stood in the shade of the great tree that erupted from the ground behind him, the fierce lion constructed of wood and thorns roaring fiercely before him.

"Black Flame Ember, in defense mode." A fire, the sort of small fire that a youth makes on a camping trip, but the fire was as black as the ash of the wood that it consumed. "You wanted to see the action of my soul?" Yumi's eyes were upon the flame, looking at it with child-like wonder. "I'll do you one better; I will show it to you in stages, how I've fed it with my desire for destruction, and grant you a complete understanding of the nature of my purpose, so that you will see how useless it is for you to resist yours and pervert the power of the Light within you. I'll set two cards, and during the end phase, Black Flame Ember's effect activates." The familiar crackle of the fire, the kind heard on a cold autumn night as a family huddled together for warmth, this was the sound that cracked right next to Momiji's ear, threatening to rupture his eardrum. "You will take five hundred points of damage. That, is the end of my turn."

"That was...far beyond the power you marshaled at the KC EVRC." Momiji rubbed at his ear, massaged it until the ringing came to a stop. "You defeated me then, and your soul wasn't truly in it then; it looks like I'm going to have to exceed my own boundaries to win this one."

"Exceed your...are you even listening to yourself? Whatever, I've no intention of even remotely humoring your prattle. Go on, take your turn and fall in line to the will of the Light and the dictates of fate."

"I'll do so, but for my own reasons and purpose; I'll start by summoning Phoenixian Seed in defense mode." A seed with decayed red leaves appeared in the air, and the shell of the seed opened up to reveal an eye, glaring out at Yumi. "And now I activate its effect, sending it to the grave to special summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis from my hand and in anticipation of this I activate Nutrient Cycle, which allows me to regain five hundred life points every time a plant monster is sent from the field to the grave." A bright red Amaryllis with yellow petals like wings to the side, and upon the 'head' of the flower were a pair of small blue beads like eyes. "Now, I'll have Botanical Lion attack your Black Flame Ember and smother the flames out." As the Botanical Lion pounced, an explosion consumed the Black Flame Ember, spilling over to Momiji for another 500 points of damage.

"My trap cards, Backfire and Raigeki Break; furthermore, when Black Flame Ember is destroyed and sent to the grave by a card effect, I can special summon from my hand in attack mode Black Flame Pyre." The size of a grown man, the black fire radiated an intense heat. A tendril of flame reached out and lashed out at Momiji, the virtual wounds cauterizing almost immediately with an intense sensation of reality. "When summoned to the field, Black Flame Pyre inflicts one thousand points of damage to the opponent." Yumi ran her hand across the limit of the fire, feeling out the extent of the virtual heat. "You felt it, didn't you? The power of this fire, it is not limited to a mere literal capacity of burning; it is the power to consume the fallen and wipe away the refuse of the world. The gardener prunes the weed, the artist erases the error, and I...I demolish empty buildings." She said this with relish.

"Demolish?" Momiji looked at Yumi quizzically. "Be that as it may, Botanical Lion has a one hundred attack advantage against Black Flame Pyre, so I'll continue my original attack as planned." The black fire spread across the wooden hide of the Botanical Lion, but its mighty roar smothered the flames, opening a path for it to rake its claws across Yumi's chest. At the same time, another explosion wracked Momiji's body, dealing another five hundred damage to him.

"When destroyed by battle and sent to the grave, Black Flame Pyre allows me to special summon from my hand, Black Flame Tower!" A column of fire erupted from the ground below, the intensity of the heat driving the wind and distorting the image of anything near it, and within that fire white eyes glared out, like white-hot coals lifted by the heat. "When summoned to the field, Black Flame Tower allows me to add a card from my deck to my hand, a card whose effect does direct damage to the opponent; therefore, I will add Rage of the Vermillion Bird to my hand." The echoing shriek of that bird silenced the crackle of the fire for a moment, but it swiftly returned, louder than before. "Look upon it, the towering inferno; look at how it doesn't just burn, but enables further burning. You'd have to be mad, perverse, to try and constrain this fire, to warp it against its function towards a more...constructive end." She said the last with a sneer. "As though you can construct before destruction."

"Ah. So that's what the dream was about." Momiji said as he rubbed away the pain in his shoulders. "Your family would not let you work in demolition, despite your talent and disposition towards it."

"Despite the fact that it was the family business, despite the fact that both my brothers were fully encouraged to pursue this...tch, Ayumu hates it, but he's been browbeaten so thoroughly that he can't even show his distaste for his work."

"And you regard this as so unjust, so wrong, that you would break the world itself to get your way? I have to say, that does seem highly selfish to me."

"To you? As though your opinion counts for anything, freak! You and I, we're not the only ones trapped like this, forced to oppose our natures and what comes naturally to us; with my nature, and the power that Lady Mizuchi has helped me to achieve, I will burn down every tiny speck of darkness in this world, bringing a world of Light where none of us shall be denied!" For a second, the only sound was the roar of the flame.

"I have to tell you, this attitude of yours is counterproductive to your goals. So if you don't mind, I'm going to continue my turn, and have Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis attack your Black Flame Tower; true, your monster's attack power exceeds mine by three hundred points, but I think you'll find that that won't matter." A thousand petals became white hot and were launched at the Black Flame Tower; a whip of fire reversed their course back to their source, destroying Amaryllis. But in its death throes, the flower exploded into a red fire that rushed past Yumi's monster and slammed into her for eight hundred points of damage. "Furthermore, the effect of Nutrient Cycle still comes into play, which not only mitigates the damage, but raises me up by two hundred points. And now, by removing Phoenixian Seed in my grave from play during my end phase, I can special summon Amaryllis back to the field in defense mode. Thus, I end my turn."

"A self-destructive monster...that is what you would oppose me with? The enemy that stands between me and the fulfillment of my destiny, and this is what you bring to bear!? Even dueling seriously, you can't hope to be anything less then a lackluster insult to me. Let me tell you, I will relish destroying all that you've built up; I summon Solar Flare Dragon to the field, and with two Pyro-type monsters under my control, I activate Rage of the Vermillion Bird to deal one thousand points of damage to you!" The fire that washed over Momiji was so infused with Yumi's anger that it actually managed to burn away at edges of his sleeves. He quickly put them out. "Now, I will have Solar Flare Dragon attack your Amaryllis, and Black Flame Tower will destroy Botanical Lion."

Momiji's eyes were wide with shock; between Nutrient Cycle's effect, and the damage Amaryllis would do when destroyed, he was going to come out ahead; and in addition to that, The World Tree was gathering more Flower Counters. Surely Yumi had a plan, but Momiji could not see the end of it, of all this destruction.

"And now, for another effect you're quite familiar with; during the end phase, Solar Flare Dragon will deal five hundred points of damage to you." The corona flared up, smashing into Momiji, and as it faded back down, he could see that Black Flame Tower was wrapping around it, keeping it safe. "Go ahead, try and break through. Try and defy my power of destruction, try and preserve the pitiful darkness with the meager Light you've selfishly and perversely kept for yourself. I end my turn."

"Very well then; if you've opted to toy with me, then I will show you the natural consequences of that." Momiji thought of Misawa, of how much he'd come to change because of him, of how much his duel had changed because of him. "I'll remove two Flower Counters from The World Tree, and destroy Black Flame Tower." A storm of petals descended upon the fire, consuming it bit by bit until not even the most meager ember remained.

"Self-destructive idiot." Twin pillars of fire shot up from the ground. "When destroyed, Black Flame Tower allows me to pick a pyro monster on the field, and special summon from my deck as many monsters of the same name." The same situation as before had manifested; Three Solar Flare Dragon's on the field, and Rage of the Vermillion Bird in the grave; each turn, 2500 points of damage would be done to him. "Well? Aren't you going to give up? You tried to fight against this before, and you failed miserably, the only end to your defiance was all this unnecessary pain. It is because of you that our happiness, that the fulfillment of our destines and what we are meant to be doing, has been stalled. And this is after Takuma and Mizuchi gave you the gift of the Light, so why don't you see it? Why don't you see the futility of resisting fate, and let me destroy and you preserve?"

"The cause for my resistance is very simple; you see, the imposition of one will upon all, of insisting that all minds and souls are of one accord and that there is one course of happiness for all, is such a limited and short-sighted view. It seems to me that your unhappiness is not because you can't engage in your heart's desire, but because you can't make your family be happy for you."

"What?! Their feelings on the matter are meaningless, and if it weren't for the fact that they're keeping me from where I'm meant to be..."

"But how? Surely someone of your knowledge, your experience and will, could find a way even in our present world. Your soul is powerful, but you don't know its true shape, while I know mine; thus, I know I can defy any prescribed fate, and make it my own. Thus, I will continue this duel. I summon Grass Phantom to the field, and then I play Plant Veil of Life; I choose a plant monster I control and regain life points equal to its original attack power, in this case one thousand points." Soft leafy vines sprouted up, comforting Momiji. The Grass Phantom began to swell up, the mouth growing larger, sharper. "Furthermore, I must send two copies of my monster from my deck to the grave, and Grass Phantom gains five hundred attack points for each Grass Phantom in the grave. I set one card, and remove Botanical Lion in the grave from play to special summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis in defense mode."

"Increase your life points, increase your attack points...it is a useless waste of time!" Yumi then skipped her draw phase, and added a very certain card from her grave to her hand. "I activate Rage of the Vermillion Bird to deal one thousand points of damage to you, putting you in reach of Solar Flare Dragon's effect." As the bird of fire flared up, a swarm of scarabs appeared. They crawled over the bird, consuming, eating.

"My trap card, Shield of Scarabs; by removing five random insects in my deck from play, I can negate your spell card and remove it, along with any other spells or traps on your side of the field, from play."

"And now you are left with nothing; you can't attack, and you can't hope to destroy my monsters, not with your power. I will end my turn." With that, all three Solar Flare Dragons roared, combining their auras of red fire; that same fire fell upon Momiji like a descending star, and actually managed to burn away his sleeves as he was left with only 600 life points. "And here we are again, but this time you won't defy fate; nothing you can do will perpetuate your struggle for more then a moment. Your Light will be added to Takuma's, and you will give in to the association, and do what you were always meant to."

"My turn." Momiji's voice was still calm, still focused. As he drew his card, his last remaining card, he remembered what Misawa had told him once. "My friend Misawa, he's shown me the strength of doing something difficult, something that one is not inclined to do on their own. I'm going to share that with you now, so that when this duel ends, it will be over and done with." Huge vicious vines sprouted up and tore into Momiji's monsters. "I play Verdant Destruction, destroying both of my plant monsters, and since Grass Phantom's attack power exceeds that of your dragons, all your monsters are destroyed as well." The vines broke through the corona of flame un-singed, and dragged down Yumi's monsters deep below. Another red fire, product of Amaryllis's destruction, rained down of Yumi for another 800 points of damage, leaving her with fifteen hundred. "Finally, by removing all three counters from The World Tree, I can special summon Grass Phantom in my grave back to the field, and attack you directly."

The monster sprouted right up on Yumi, and embraced her in a tight grip. Momiji gripped his heart as the Light was unleashed in him, washed over the two duelists. Momiji's monster vanished, and what Yumi saw caused her eyes to grow wide in shock.

"Those people..." They were indistinct, obscured by fog, but they were plainly Momiji's parents. "What is the point of showing me them?" Despite herself, Yumi found her anger dissolving, the realization occurring of its own accord.

"My parents tried, but they couldn't understand the change that had come over me when I awoke after that fateful day with Takuma and Mizuchi. And ultimately, for me to find out what I was and what my connection to this blue Earth was, I had to walk away. Truth be told, I believe the me in their hearts died long ago. But I've accepted this, for I have found my meaning, my friends, and it is my own personal realization, earned after much struggle." The white Light faded, and Yumi was down on her knees.

"Just...just walk away? Just...pursue my dream, even without them?" The anger flowed out of her, a palpable sensation even for Momiji. "A severing of ties, seeking out new ones..." She stood up and looked Momiji in the eye. "That is definitely a path I'd not even considered possible; it seemed impossibly difficult. But...if you could succeed after years of struggle, then I'll do the same in a matte of months; I'm already almost there." She then thrust her hand out. "Congratulations Momiji; this wasn't a waste of time after all, and you're not a perverse freak. Heh, I guess I shouldn't say that again, should I?"

"I'd rather you not. Now, we need to get back to the Osiris Red Dorm; I've every certainty that Misawa will be bringing Sayuri there, and I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about."

"How...never mind." And so the two left, making there way back to the center of the Association of Light, located at the base of the Duel Academia, the Osiris Red dorm.


	44. Chapter 44

**Tide of Disaster, Cause for Protection**

"All right Tarou." Rei said, her voice stern and absolute. "No more running, no more hiding." Her fist was shaking as she struggled to keep her tears from welling up. "You, you're going to finally explain to me just what's going on here, and why it is you think that you need to...to brainwash everyone!" Tarou looked up at Rei, standing below her in the shallow shoals of the northern coast of the island.

"Rei." His voice was heavy, yet resolved. "You have no idea how sorry I am that it has come to this; you know you are my favorite cousin, you know."

"Heh, I'm your only cousin." Rei said with a hollow, empty laugh. "I mean, why do you think this hurts so much? You, you actually got me, you understood me...even when I said I was going to get into Duel Academia at age twelve, just so I could beat you when you were using your real deck, you just smiled and shook my hand. And I thought I understood you too, thought I got you...tell me, that image I saw in that dream last night, that boy in the wheel chair...please tell me that didn't mean what I thought it meant!" She couldn't stop them anymore, the tears that had been building up for so long deep within her like a welling tide. "Tell me," Her voice as quiet as the foam on the waves, "that I'm right, and you really couldn't do that to anyone, not ever."

"Before that day..." Tarou paused, looking down at his reflection scattered in the water, "No, even before then, I was wary; I felt an impending sense, an omen, that I would soon become part of a terrible fate. That's why I said I would be retiring from dueling, why I believed that if you tried to join Duel Academia three years early you'd give up dueling altogether...but I guess it doesn't matter I thought at the time; the fact of the matter is that I've committed a crime that I can never forgive myself for, an act of rage that those around me were all too quick to sweep away, as though it had never happened to begin with." Tarou armed his duel disc. "Rei, I'll make this as quick as possible, and I'll try not to hurt you anymore than I already have."

"No, you won't." Rei armed her duel disc. "I've made even more progress than you could imagine, than I could have imagined; if you want to defeat me, you're going to have to break me." Tarou winced in the face of Rei's words, but he did not give in. "I'm going to activate Fusion Gate, and remove Resonance Warrior, Resonance Maiden, and Resonance Guide in my hand from play to fusion summon Resonance Lady of Three-in-One." She floated above the ground, her skin luminous as her eyes burned with their own inner fire. "Now I summon Homonculus, change him to water, and set one card to end my turn."

"That, that was incredible!" For a moment, Rei thought she could see the Tarou that she used to know. "You've definitely exceeded my expectations by far, and only in this first turn." But now he was gone again, replaced by the self-loathing figure she saw in her dream. "Unfortunately, the mistakes I've made, the crimes I've committed, demand my victory to achieve justice, to redeem this world of ours. I now discard Oyster Meister, a water monster, to activate Water Soul, and take control of your Resonance Lady of Three-in-One." A bubble of suffocating water enveloped the towering woman, dragging her down to Tarou's level. "In addition, Water Soul causes your monster to count as a water attribute monster, making it a valid target for Big Wave Little Wave." The water of the ocean reared up and consumed Rei's monster, and the beast that emerged was quite familiar to Rei.

"Superancient Deepsea King Coelcalenth." The scales along its back were like a black shell, as though the ancient monster was ancestor to both fish and turtle. "I guess that really is your new Ace Monster; you never used that one back then, that's for sure."

"That's true; back then, when I dueled for myself and my own glory, I could never have hoped to have summoned this monster. But now, I duel for a far greater purpose, one that recognizes how meager I truly am. Now, with Coelcalenth's power, I discard one card from my hand, and special summon from my deck four fish-type monsters in defense mode; they can't attack, nor can their effects be activated." Coelcalenth reared back, and leaped high into the air to attack.

"I activate my trap card, Frozen Tears!" A pair of icy crystals descended upon Coelcalenth, as though the heavens themselves were crying. "When I control a water attribute monster, I can negate a monsters attack and return that monster back to my opponents deck." But before the ice could strike, one of the fish summoned by Coelcalenth leaped out of the water like a rocket and intercepted the ice.

"Unfortunately for you, Coelcalenth can negate any effect that targets it and destroy that card, all by sacrificing a Fish-type monster. This power of unity, a power that you've only scratched the surface of in your own duels, is the power that I've achieved after Mizuchi showed me the truth." Without anything to stop it, Coelcalenth chomped down on Rei's Homonculus for 1000 points of damage.

"And what truth is that?" Rei found a straw, and she grabbed hold of it tightly. "Did she...did she trick you into thinking you did something horrible? Is that how she got you to do her bidding?"

"I wish...I wish it were only a lie, that it never really happened. But when I look you in the eye, see the determination that's welled up deep within you, I know that I share that same quality, and I know that what I did was real. Tell me Rei, when it comes down to it, when the tide of fate is bearing down on you, what would you do to oppose it? I set one card to end my turn."

"You know the answer to that Tarou." Rei drew her card. "You know that I'd do anything to save you, and I won't stop dueling until I've breathed my last."

"Exactly! That was my mistake, and I will not let you fall like I did; I activate my trap card, Spiritual Water Art Aoi, sacrificing a water attribute monster I control to force you to discard a card from your hand." A thundering pulse of water, and Rei's card was swept out of her hand and into her grave. "I know this may seem cruel, but I will see to it that you make it into the new world, even if I have to...if I have to..." The word was stuck in his throat, but Rei knew him well enough to know what it was he was going to say.

"Cripple my deck." Her tears flowed down freely, warm against her cheek. "Just like you crippled that boy."

"...I take my turn, and I discard my card to summon two more fish from my deck in defense mode, and I'll attack you directly with Coelcalenth." If it had been real, Rei knew that her spine would have been broken by the impact of the colossal monster; as it was, she was only down to 200 life points and aching all over, a meager pain compared to that which her cousin had inflicted upon himself and that boy.

"So, did it happen before, or after you disappeared? You've got to answer me Tarou, before this destroys us both for good."

"Rei...I can't...you're still innocent; even after all of this, you're still whole. I've hurt you too much already, for me to go and break your trust in me entirely. Just let me defeat you, and you'll be happy forever, in the new world to come, without me."

"Don't lie like that! Asking me to give up on my dream, asking me to believe that you could give up on our promise...I'm going to show it to you, how seriously I take my promises, and why you're going to give me a straight answer once and for all! I play the spell card, One-sided Resonance; when I control no monsters, I can designate an attribute and draw one card for every monster of that attribute you control. Therefore, I'll designate water, allowing me to draw five cards, one for each of your water monsters." For a moment Rei and Tarou could see the auras, that unifying power as it enriched Rei's hand. "I set one card, and next I'll summon Resonance Reaper, and then play Resonance Revival, allowing me to special summon a Resonance monster when I control one on the field while negating its effect; this means I can special summon the Resonance Warden you forced me to discard last turn. And now, with Fusion Gate on the field, I fuse my two monsters together, removing them from play to summon Resonance Lady of Alignment!"

This time, she was a woman with four arms, with a heavy set build and sheer black armor. As she emerged onto the field, rising up from the Earth, her dark robe billowed out ominously, revealing lithe but powerful muscles along her four arms, backing up her claim to 2500 attack points. "With Warden's earth, Lady of Alignment can't be destroyed by battle, and with Reaper's dark, whenever she destroys a monster by battle she can destroy another, weaker monster on the field. And now I equip her with two spell cards, Terrestrial Root and Shadow Doubt; this raises her attack power by one thousand points, lets her deal half her original defense as damage when she destroys a monster by battle, and forces you to discard a card when she destroys a monster by battle." With overwhelming power, Rei's monster rooted herself before Coelcalenth and slammed it into the ground. Her shadow reached out and choked the life out of one of the fish that Coelcalenth had summoned, and with a stamp of her foot a column of earth was driven into Tarou's chest.

"...Noboyuki. Noboyuki Kudo." As Tarou Araide got back to his feet, Rei briefly saw the phantom of that boy. "You've earned this Rei, but...remember that I tried to spare you from this, tried to spare you from the fate that I brought down on myself." A moment of silence, and Rei steeled herself, knowing that this ordeal would prove far more difficult to face than any monster, spell, or trap. "I'd been approached by a woman from the Professional Duelist League, Lilian Graham; she said that she'd been watching me for some time, in particular my duels with you. She said that she thought I had real potential, and that she would sponsor my way. As I was to be her secret weapon in the league, I wasn't allowed to let you know, but I knew that I could make it; after all, you were willing to break into Duel Academia, so why couldn't I break into the Professional Duelist League?"

"Unfortunately, I couldn't even make it past my first challenge; I was pitted against another duelist that she was considering sponsoring, to see which of us was worthy of her support.

"Noboyuki Kudo." Rei said, speaking the unspoken name.

"He was a cocky brat, kept calling me 'old man' and just generally making a pain of himself throughout the whole duel. At first, I thought it was all bravado, but the duel dragged on, and on, and on..." In that moment, Tarou's face began to reflect the anger he felt at that time, the anger he was feeling once more. "He was toying with me! He kept stalling endlessly, keeping the duel from progressing in any fashion, not the least bit concerned with winning! Swords of Revealing Light, Gravity Bind, Waboku, his deck was nothing but stalls! And endlessly he cracked his inane jokes, thinking himself so damn clever, just because he could toy around with my dreams! But I broke down his stalls, I used Neo-Daedalus and destroyed him utterly."

"But I wasn't done; I could still see it in his eyes, that smirking expression, and I wanted to see it crushed. So before he could even get back up..." Tarou stopped, looked down at his hands in shock. "You see Rei? Even now, just remembering it, even with Mizuchi's help, I can barely control that anger. And back then, it wasn't until after I broke his spine, that I came to realize that the corruption ran far deeper than just in myself."

"You...you don't mean..." Rei realized it; this, above all else, was what had driven her cousin to this path.

"Yes, she was going to cover it up; she was wealthy, he had no surviving family, it was entirely within her reach. But more then that, it was the fact-of-the-matter way that she did it; as though she'd become so used to that sort of thing, that she couldn't even see it for the evil that it was. And the more I looked into it, the more I realized how vast and wide-spread the corruption was; I believed that being a duelist made me a warrior, a figure of valor and strength. But in this world, in the darkness of our existence, we duelists are in the end only pawns of our own passions and impulses. And I...am as much a part of this vice as any other fallen duelist."

"Do you understand Rei? This is the fate I'm trying to save you from, this is the fate that I'm willing to sacrifice my life to put an end to. You're powerful enough, your soul bright enough. So please, give up; let me win, and stop you from repeating this tragedy of mine."

"...Take your turn Tarou."

"What?"

"Take it." Rei's eyes were dry, all tears gone. Her voice was heavy, halting. "You think I don't get it? You got knocked down, hard. But I'm going to pull you back up, get you back on your feet, so that you can see that what you're doing, won't solve anything! Take your turn Tarou, I know you've got more in store for me!"

"...Very well." Tarou hardened his heart. "If I must, then I will. I will save you, even if you think that you don't need to be! I set one card and end my turn."

"And now I summon Resonance Flora, and attack with both my monsters." The four armed woman slew two fish, and Resonance Flora reached out with her vines to claim the third. "Furthermore, because I have an earth attribute monster on the field, Resonance Flora can activate her effect, and let me recover one thousand life points. I end my turn."

"And now I will end this decisively, and redeem the world to save you; I activate Sacred Loss on the Ocean Floor, removing all water monsters in the grave from play, allowing me to draw five cards. I summon Atlantean Pikeman to the field, and activate my facedown Amulet of Ambition, equipping it to my monster. Then, I activate A Legendary Ocean, completing my combo."

"...I guess you really have." Rei looked upon the creature before her, wearing that very amulet that had crushed her so many times before. It was her cousin's ace combo, and no matter how powerful a monster she summoned, no matter how she tried to combine their effects, the base and simple fact was that this creature's strength would always exceed hers.

"Now, there is a seven level difference between my monster, and your fusion monster, which means that Atlantean Pikeman's attack power will be fifty-one hundred, enough to defeat you utterly. Know that when you awaken in the new world, that you will have no cause to feel sorrow for me. Atlantean Pikeman, attack." Tarou's monster spiraled through the ocean all around them, becoming like a drill as it approached Rei's Resonance Lady of Alignment.

"Trap card activate, Resonance Sacrifice." Resonance Flora glowed as it was consumed by its own aura. "When I control more then one Resonance Monster, I can sacrifice one of them to negate all damage for this turn, and since Lady of Alignment can't be destroyed by battle, this means your attack has no effect.

"You won't get that chance again Rei; it is far too important for me to win. I set two cards to end my turn."

"All right, I'm going to take my turn now." Rei focused her will, and remembered everything that she'd learned from Judai, from Asuka, from Edo, from Manjoume and Shou, from Junko and Momoe, from Misawa and Momiji, and from Professors Midori, Chronos, and Principal Samejima too; she remembered everything that they'd taught her, and embodied this into her card. "I play Resonance Removal; by removing a resonance monster in my grave from play, I can choose one card from my deck and add it to my hand. And that card, is Unified Alternate Dimension; because I've removed from play one and only one monster of each attribute, I can remove from play all cards on your side of the field."

The otherworldly visions of Rei's monsters struck, and Tarou's monster was gone, as were his spells supporting it; he lost his Tornado Wall, and his Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord, which could only protect against destruction, not removal. With nothing to stop her, Resonance Lady of Alignment attacked directly, utterly crushing Tarou's will.

"Tarou!" Rei leaped down and grabbed hold of her cousin, preventing him from drowning. "Don't you get it? You were wrong, okay?" She looked him in the eye, and he looked back. "I know that you did something horrible, and you can't forgive yourself for it, but you can't change the whole world, just to run away from your pain. When I got here, I was a selfish brat who didn't think about what she was really doing, and I drove a good friend of mine into Saiou's hands. But he's the one I need to apologize to, and if you want to get justice for what you did, if you want to redeem the name 'duelist' in your heart, then you need to face Noboyuki again, and show him just how much you're hurting too."

"Rei...you..." The tears began to flow from his eyes, down into the ocean around them. "You kept your promise, even after all I did; you really are a true duelist. I hope one day, I can join your company, when I am worthy of it."

At that moment, the two of them felt a tremendous weight lifting itself off the island, as though a great glass ceiling had been removed.

"I guess the others must have won too." Rei stood back up. "Come on Tarou, let's get to the Osiris Red Dorm, so we can finish all this for good."


	45. Chapter 45

**Common Paths, Dreams Renewed**

"Everyone, report in; what is your progress?" Principal Samejima was seated in her office, overseeing and coordinating her duelists as they reclaimed Duel Academia from the Association of Light, one duelist at a time. One by one, they each called in, appearing on the screen before her.

"Professor Chronos here; I've successfully rescued all the third and second year Osiris Red students. They're nursing their wounded pride, but they've learned a valuable lesson in how much father they have to go before they can call me an old relic!"

"Jun Manjoume here; I've dealt with the third year Obelisk Blues and Ra Yellows. Things looked pretty dicey for a while, but once they started seeing sense again, they started helping me and now they're all back to normal."

"Junko Makita here; all the second and first year Obelisk Blues have had some sense knocked back into them. There were some real up-and-comers here, but nothing I couldn't handle. Plus, all of them put together puts them on the level of Momoe's ordeal, so that's only fair."

"Shou Marufuji here; I'll admit I was worried that I was biting off more then I could chew, but I was able to restore all the second and first year Ra Yellows, along with the first year Osiris Reds; after all, as the Kaiser's younger brother, I've got to live up to her legacy, don't I?"

"That's very good work everyone." Principal Samejima met each of their smiling faces with her own warm smile. "Take a brief rest, check to make sure that everyone is okay, and then start making your way to the Osiris Red dorm; your assignment, which is mandatory for advancing to the next year or to graduate, is to witness the final duel with Takuma Saiou and the end of the Association of Light." Principal Samejima then looked at the sun out her window and turned her head back to the screen. "You will have forty-five minutes to complete this assignment."

"Yes, Principal Samejima!" They all called out as one before ending their sides of the connection.

"Hmm, all this that you've all been burdened with...have I asked too much of you...?" It was then that Principal Samejima noticed a message on her computer from Seto Kaiba. It read, plain and simple, 'I have every expectation of victory in this matter; I know that any institution that I established, would not be so weak as to fall so easily to such a foe as this.' "...Well, if that's how you feel, then I suppose I can trust your judgment."

* * *

"Worthless." Sayuri Watanabe said as she walked down the dusty country road. "Empty, barren, and worthless; he was right to throw me away." She'd lost everything in the divorce, from her home to her friends to her parents, and at no point had she tried to fight it at all; what would have been the point of resisting? Resistence, struggling, all it would have done would have been to prolong her pain. And now, feeling as hollow as an empty Matryoshka Doll that was meant to carry entire generations within her, Sayuri felt nothing.

"Excuse me miss." She turned her head listlessly towards the voice; she had passed some manner of inn, and on the porch stood an elderly man, a foreigner. "You should come in, you look like you haven't eaten in days." She hadn't, nor had she slept. She had simply been walking along the beaten path, each step taking her closer to her inevitable end. Still, another will was now imposing itself on her, and she had no strength to resist it. She walked up the steps of the porch, the creak of the wood speaking to how dry it had been for the past week and was let in by the old man. "My name is Mark Walkenburg, and this inn is mine, so don't think you have to worry about paying; you obviously haven't had anything in a while."

"Thank you." Her voice was hollow, devoid of emotion or commitment. Upon entering, she smelled the scent of a meal, of eggs and steak; obviously, this establishment drew a small but wealthy clientele. Sayuri made her way into the dining room, and saw one other person there; a woman, dressed like a Miko. Despite her condition, Sayuri couldn't help but stare at the woman, wondering at her strange garb.

"Ah." Mr. Walkenburg said, smiling as he approached the Miko as she silently ate her meal. "I've had some special guests over the years, but I never imagined I'd have a genuine Miko here; most of them these days are just university students working a part-time job at the temple. Please, Miss Miko, won't you say hello to our guest; I'm sure she'd appreciate the company." He then departed, no doubt to tend to some other business at the inn; there were no signs of any other employees, not that the establishment was large enough to support any.

"Please, sit down. I've been waiting for you." The Miko put her plate away from her reach and looked up at Sayuri. As Sayuri sat down, she felt an inkling of will, of the notion that she'd decided to accept the Miko's request and had not merely gone along with it. "My name is Mizuchi Saiou, and you need more than just a warm meal and roof to sleep under." Mizuchi pointed to a nearby mirror, a device placed there to increase the sensation of volume and size to the room. "When I look into the mirror, I don't see the image reflected by the light, but by the darkness." Sayuri tried to see it, but she could see herself, and her worthless weak body that couldn't even manage the one thing that she'd asked of it. "The image of you that I see reflected in the darkness, is one of nurturing warmth; your heart is so full of love, that your deepest wish is for someone that you can hold close to that heart and give all your love to."

"But..." Sayuri was shocked; how could this woman have known? And yet, despite this knowledge, she didn't feel frightened.

"You have been forced to suffer a fate most cruel, but it is also a fate that can make you strong, strong enough for your desires to overcome this fate, and achieve that which you've dreamed of all your life." In that moment, Sayuri saw a new image in the mirror; a young man. He was cold, lost, and confused. "I can help you achieve this fate, and all that I ask of you, is that you join me."

"Join you?" Sayuri said as she unconsciously reached out to the boy dressed in the yellow uniform.

"An important battle will soon be upon us, and I am seeking duelists whose souls have been tempered in the darkness; souls that are intimately familiar with the corruption of our world, and deserve the chance to change it."

"But...I'm not a duelist...well, I did try to learn...I thought that it was something I could do with my..." Sayuri felt an encompassing warmth enveloping her. She saw Mizuchi wrapping her arms around her, holding her tight.

"You don't have to say anything; I know your pain, and I will bear it as much as possible. I promise you, I will do all within my power to see you walk into the Light." The warmth that Sayuri felt, the compassion and sorrow, the fear and the hope...all of this, it was what she'd desired to share with her child.

That was when she'd decided to follow Mizuchi Saiou, and devote herself to the power of the life-affirming earth, to achieve the fate that she knew she was worthy of.

"Mizuchi." Sayuri said to herself as she walked with Misawa back to the Osiris Red dorm. "Thank you so much. Now please, let me help you, as you've helped me."

* * *

"Worthless?" Kouta Hoshino muttered to himself as he searched through the garbage for some scraps that were yet edible. "No, I'm not worthless, I'm not trash, I'm not I'm not I'm not..." He paused. He gripped his head. "Shut up, shut up, shut up, you're not real, he was just a charlatan, a fraud, he just...he just..."

"Tortured you for nothing." The image of Daitokuji said as he emerged from Kouta's back, twisting around to face him. "Its incredible really, how deeply a mental scar can be carved, without ever leaving so much as scratch on the body. It is also notable how limited the sympathy of strangers can be under such circumstances; they're so quick to dismiss your pain, because they can not see it. Or maybe...it's because there's nothing to see at all."

"What do you mean by that you bastard?" Kouta said with a growl, his voice drowned out by the howl of the wind in the alley.

"Because people can only see things that are of worth to them; they walk by the trash, until the one person who considers it a treasure happens to pass by. Unfortunately for me, I'd thought you would be a great treasure, but you turned out to be more worthless then an empty wrapper; oh well, that's my loss. Still, I'd have been remiss to risk anyone else repeating my mistake, so I've marked you; you're mental scars will ensure that no one wastes their time with, or even entertain the thought that you could ever be worth anything, to anyone, for any reason, at any time, ever."

"Shut up! I will prove you wrong you bastard!" Kouta frantically scrounged through the garbage before him. "So what if I didn't get any dark powers? I don't need them! I'll show you, you're so called legacy is as empty and meaningless as that insufferable smile on your face!" He paused as he saw a glint of light in the trash; he grinned a Cheshire Cat grin, his mania consuming him. "All right, if you're so smart, if your legacy is so great, then how come you couldn't see this coming!?" He grabbed the broken shard of mirror that he'd found and twisted himself around; just as he was about to cut away the demon that haunted him, it suddenly vanished.

"Please, do not give into that monster's demands." Kouta turned toward the voice, and saw a Miko standing before him. "It is his desire to see you destroy yourself, because that is how much he fears you, that he can't bring himself to dare to try himself."

"Fear?" He stared at the woman, watching for the first sign of betrayal. He listened intently to the wind, but it was silent. "Yeah, that Daitokuji fears me so much he kicked me out of his home with that damnable smile plastered to his face all the while. Who the hell are you." He was becoming nervous; the demon that haunted him, where was he hiding, what was his scheme, and what role did this woman play in it?

"I am Mizuchi Saiou. He fears you, because you are something he can't comprehend; he chases after a phantom of the past, in the hopes of recreating and exceeding an ancient power. He is blind to the future, and so out of spite he has tried to blind you as well, to deafen your ears with every last howl of the wind." She walked up to him, and he didn't raise his hand to stop her; somehow, by some means beyond his understanding, Kouta knew that she truly meant him no harm. More then that, he realized that if she'd meant to harm him, there was absolutely nothing he could have done about it.

"Here." Somehow, he intuitively knew that she wanted the shard of mirror in his hand. The adrenaline was gone now, and he realized how tightly he'd gripped it. The Miko handed him a cloth, and he wrapped his hand in it to cover the cut, giving her the shard of mirror. "I managed to hear him muttering something about a...Duel Academia?"

"He will seek to cultivate the dark powers he desires there." She held the mirror fragment gently in her hands, and gazed into it. "He will create many tragedies there, but in the end he will gain nothing from it; it will all be taken from him, and he shall be locked away deep in the bowels of the earth, where all his cries for mercy shall be trapped with him, never to ascend with the wind."

"Tch, that's the fate he deserves all right, but what of it? I won't have anything to do with it, will I? And if I'm not the one to show how worthless and wrong he is, than what's the point?"

Mizuchi turned the mirror over in her hands, reflecting Kouta in it. "There will be those who have gained his power; follow me, and you will realize your strength, and demonstrate your power to overcome him."

Kouta looked into the mirror, and saw a girl dressed in a blue uniform. "And how do I know that this isn't an elaborate set-up? How am I to know that you're not planning to...?" She'd wrapped her arms around him, pulling him tight into her warm embrace.

"You don't need to say; I know your pain, and as much as possible I will bear it for you. Be loyal to me, and I promise you I will see to it that you walk into the Light." This woman, Mizuchi, he could feel the extent of the strength of her soul; he could feel both her power, and her will to exercise that power. In her arms, he knew that he was safe; no invisible power of the wind could break through her to reach him, and he knew that she would sooner sacrifice herself for his sake, then betray him.

That was when he decided to follow Mizuchi Saiou, and devote himself to the wisdom-bearing power of the wind, to achieve the fate that he knew he was worthy of.

"Mizuchi." Kouta said to himself as he made his way back to the Osiris Red dorm alongside Momoe Hamaguchi. "I thank you for all that you've done for me. Now, let me help you put your demons to rest too."

* * *

"Worthless." Yumi Ayame said with a scowl as she looked at the paper in her hand. "Do those fools honestly believe that they can appease me with...this?" She spat on the paper, blotting out the text concerning a 'nursing assistant' position; there were a great many like it, like management and human relations, all across the spectrum, and all with the promise that she would be close to the actual work-sites at all of them. "And my hands will be kept perfectly clean, won't they? No risk of your little girl making a mistake and getting her fake plastic fingernails burned off, right?" She tossed the paper into the drum-fire before her, increasing its volume by an imperceptible fraction. "Why are they so damn stubborn?"

"Hey, did I hear you right?" Yumi turned her head, and saw a man who had seen better days; his hair was a scraggily mess, his suit was torn, decrepit. "Are you honestly telling me that you have jobs lined around the block, and you can't be bothered to take any of them? What kind of selfish brat are you?"

"As though you're one to talk." Yumi looked the man over, noticing the tell-tale scars on his left arm. "Like I'm going to waste my valuable time dealing with some washed-up junkie. But tell you what; you go find a cliff to jump off of, and I'll figure out a way to get where I belong." The man's eyes grew wide, blood-shot.

"Where the hell do you get off saying shit like that? What makes you think that you deserve anything more then I do, huh? You don't even know who the hell I am, do you? I'm Akira Arakawa!"

"Hmph, never heard of you, so obviously you were never that successful to begin with; that would explain the drugs...hell, maybe drugs are where you're really meant to be. But I'm in line for something much greater then this."

"That's it, I'm going shut your mouth for good!" The man pulled out a knife, a common possession for one who lived on the street; Yumi knew that she could reach for hers and guard against the man...but that would take effort. She could keep burning, keep struggling to have her fire reach the heavens, but in the end it was no use; her fire would only be like the drum-fire. She closed her eyes and waited for the man to strike, and sever from her the empty ember of her soul.

But he never did. She opened her eyes, and saw that the man had collapsed, his eyes rolled up, reflecting nothing. Only his knife, sharp and vicious, reflected the light of the fire.

"I apologize for not arriving sooner." Yumi turned to the voice, and saw a Miko. "My name is Mizuchi Saiou, and I've come to help you avoid making a terrible mistake."

"What mistake would that be? Death would have been a blessing; now I'm still stuck here, struggling to fulfill my innermost desire, with no hope of success." Yumi looked away from the woman, and into the fire. "Look at it; the fire brings warmth, and it rids us of refuse...it didn't have to be a literal flame, but why can't they just let me use it? They know perfectly well how important our work us, that decrepit and abandoned property needs to be torn down, and yet, the notion that I could take the lead, be a direct participant in it all..."

"It is indeed unfortunate; so much of the suffering in this world is borne of people of all walks of life, being forced to walk the paths they are not meant for, are not suited for. That is why I seek to change the world, and why I've come for you."

"Oh, I get it." Yumi turned to Mizuchi, a crazed expression on her face. "You staged all this, haven't you? Have the 'crazy junkie' attack me, you come in and 'rescue me', and then I become so grateful that I join your little cult. Well, let me just expose this little play for the fraud that it is!" Yumi walked over to the man and kicked him in the head.

No response. Mizuchi then walked up, and took the knife from his hands.

"I understand your skepticism, and you are wise to hold onto it. But now you must see." She held up the knife, and Yumi noticed that the flat of the blade was like a mirror. "Just as there is material refuse that blocks the material light, so too is there spiritual refuse that blocks that blocks the spiritual Light. Were you to burn away this spiritual refuse, then those who are blocking you from your path, would no longer obstruct you."

Yumi stared into the reflected image of the light, and saw someone; at first it seemed a boy, and then a girl...she didn't know what it meant exactly, but she was grasping what it was that was being asked of her.

"And how will I do this? How will I burn away at these souls that seek to obstruct and pervert my purpose in life?" Yumi turned away. "No, it doesn't matter; this isn't what I'm meant to be doing, and I've no hope of succeeding at anything that falls outside of..."

"You don't need to say." Yumi heard the clink of the knife as it was tossed aside, and felt Mizuchi wrapping her arms around her; somehow, it felt so much warmer than the fire. "I know your pain, and as much as possible I will bear it for you. Be loyal to me, and I promise you that I will see to it that you walk into the Light." Yumi could feel it, the power within Mizuchi; she was a woman who could have claimed the world for herself, and yet, she sought nothing for herself, only that all people would be free to walk their natural paths of happiness.

That was when she decided to follow Mizuchi Saiou and devote herself to the cleansing and cleaning power of fire, to achieve the fate that she knew she was worthy of.

"Mizuchi." Yumi Ayame said to herself as she made her way back to the Osiris Red dorm alongside Momiji Todo. "You've guided me to the one who's shown me how to reach my future. So I'm going to help you reach the future that you deserve."

* * *

"Worthless." Tarou Araide said, his eyes upon the water as he looked over the side of the cliff; it was a low cliff, but the rocks below would make a fall from that distance decisive. "All of it; it's all corrupt, every last bit of it. And me most of all."

"You know, there really is no need to be so temperamental about all this." Tarou pointedly ignored the familiar voice of Lilian Graham. "Really, you Japanese men are the most emotional I've ever known; say what you will about your traditional gender roles, but at least your women know how exercise grace under fire." Lilian laughed, a cutting, biting sound. "There's no reason for you to have to worry about prosecution; everyone at his hospital has been paid off, and I have enough favors in the local law enforcement to make pursuit of this case a non-issue."

"And that doesn't bother you at all? That you could even succeed at one step of your plot, much less all of them, doesn't that give you pause?" Tarou now turned to face the foreign woman. "After all, what if some misfortune were to befall you, and someone decided it would be better for them if you were quietly swept aside, never to have justice in your lifetime."

"If someone were to manage to engineer such an outcome, I would have no choice but to congratulate them. Yes, the world is brutal, and power is found more in who you know than anything else, but that's just the nature of things; you can get used to it, or else you can complain about to no productive and give up on a worthwhile career. Because honestly, do you not grasp the money, the prestige, and the power that resides in the Professional Dueling leagues? The mystique around dueling that's been built up at this point is nothing less then a gold mine, and its one that you could still be a part of. Duelists of your talent are rare, and the majority have already been found."

"So now I'm to debase myself even further? I'm supposed to exult in how low I've fallen? I may be as foul a creature as you, but at least I recognize that I ought to be better than that."

"Humph. Well, if you really are insistent on this attitude and this course of action, then I'll just have to go for one of my alternates; true, I'll have to wait a few years, but I can spend that time prepping her. That way, she'll be much more cooperative than you."

Tarou's eyes grew wide with shock. "Don't you dare go anywhere near Rei, you witch!" Lilian walked away, scrolling through the files on her PDA. "I won't let you do this to her! I won't !" And yet he stood still, not even raising a hand in anger; after all, if he tried anything, she could expose him and have him locked away indefinitely. The whole of the system was corrupt, and that included him.

Rei was the exception, and it was only a matter of time, until the dueling world corrupted her too. Tarou looked back to the water, back to rocks below, and found his will to resist that siren call eroding away. "I'm already too late; damn it all, I encouraged her to pursue this life, even challenging her to get into Duel Academia early...that woman would never be able to resist an opportunity like that." Then, a memory ran through Tarou's head, of the stories that he read about in his history classes. "If I can't live as a warrior, maybe I can still die as one." He carefully examined the position of the sharpest rock, tried to measure the wind and judge the force of the waves as they crashed against the rock.

Suddenly, the image of a Miko was reflected in that water, far larger then was physically possible. He jerked back, and sensed the presence of someone behind him.

"I apologize for startling you, but I did not have much time." Tarou turned around, and saw the woman that had appeared in the water. "My name is Mizuchi Saiou, and I know that you are someone who recognizes how corrupt the fate of this world has become, and that darkness must be washed away."

"...Wishing won't make it so; the problem is far too deep, far too widespread, for anyone to be able to do anything about it, no matter how much they might believe in it. And besides, it would take someone pure, someone who hasn't given into darkness. I can't help you."

"No, that's where you're wrong." Mizuchi walked up to the edge of the cliff and looked below; somehow, it seemed as though the water became still, reflective, contemplative even. "Those who are pure of heart, require the support of those who know the darkness of the human soul. And it is only through dueling, that that very darkness itself can be made to serve a useful end, and submit itself to the needs of the Light."

Tarou looked down into the waves, and thought of how much it resembled a mirror. And in that mirror he saw Rei, smiling and laughing. "But...how can I know? How can I make sure that that anger, that drive, it doesn't take me over again? How do I make sure that I won't..." Her arms were around him, and despite the fact that he was bigger then her, he felt dwarfed by that embrace.

"You don't need to say. I know your pain, and I will bear it for you as much as possible. Be loyal to me, and I promise I will see to it that you and she will walk into the Light." In those arms, Tarou felt as though a child, as though he were being comforted by his mother; it was a crazy thought, and yet it was the first thing in a long while to make any sense at all. And then he realized it; this woman, this Miko, Mizuchi, she had made her choice long ago, and accepted the consequences of that choice. He knew this woman would stop at nothing to change the world, and that he could be the duelist, the warrior, that he'd always dreamed of being.

That was when he decided to follow Mizuchi Saiou, and devote himself to the eroding power of water, to achieve the fate that he knew that he was worthy of. And just as she was willing and able to sacrifice for another, so would he, even if it meant Rei could never know what he was doing for her.

"Mizuchi." Tarou Araide said to himself as he made his way back to the Osiris Red dorm alongside Rei Saotome. "You saved me from myself, and you brought me to where I could see how strong my cousin really was. Now, let me show you, that you don't need to sacrifice anything more of yourself."

* * *

"Ah, you're awake." Midori Hibiki said as she held her hand against Judai Yuki's brow. "Do you feel alright? Are you still seeing whatever it was that that bitch made you see?"

"Professor Hibiki!" Asuka Tenjouin recalled the last time that she'd seen Professor Hibiki as angry as this on Judai's behalf, and even then it was in the heat of the moment. For her to have maintained, kept up this feeling...

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Asuka, Professor Hibiki." Edo Phoenix said, his gaze firmly on the dorm that was even now guarded by the unseen barrier of darkness. "While I do understand how defensive you are of him, babying him like this will not help in the upcoming battle." Before Midori could say anything in her own defense, Judai raised his hand and waved it about to draw attention to himself.

"Guys, it's okay; it's a big sister's job to worry about her no good little brother; Midori did it all the time with Kouyou, so I don't...mind...when she does it with me." Judai became silent, his eyes having lost their shine. Everyone stepped back to give him room, and even Edo took his eyes away from the dorm to face him. "I'm sorry, it's just...well, when I touched the door, I saw Kouyou, but he wasn't Kouyou; I mean, he looked like himself, but he wasn't acting like himself."

"He kept taunting me, saying that I wasn't a real hero, and he was going to make me one, so he started summoning weird new monsters and he had them attacking everyone, telling me to try and stop him. I was so afraid, I couldn't even move." Judai then brought his eyes back to Midori and smiled once more, his eyes shining once more. "Then I felt your touch Midori, and I realized how crazy it all was, so I woke up. Sorry to worry you guys like that, it won't happen again."

There was a prolonged silence, and then they all felt it; it was as though the dorm had...molted, shed off an extra layer of skin.

"The barrier...it's down, I can tell." Asuka focused her eyes on the dorm, finally able to see the spiritual change that had occured.

"That must mean that Mizuchi's apostles have been defeated. Now we can finally advance..." Edo saw that his words went unnoticed by Midori, who had already reached the front door and threw it open.

And there, in the middle of the first floor of the Osiris Red dorm, stood Mizuchi Saiou, surrounded by visible aura of darkness. And around herself, she'd erected four full length mirrors.

"You've managed to advance this far...it would be admirable, if not for how self-destructive you're all being. To keep you from interfering with my brother's work, to see to it that the destiny of Light is fulfilled, I will make myself into a living barrier of darkness, and stop you here and now."

"I want to make something very clear." Professor Hibiki spoke with a palpable undercurrent of anger. "I don't care about why you're doing any of this; you've caused my little-brother Judai to suffer terrible pain, time and again." Midori armed her duel disc. "These sins are upon your hands, and I will see to it that you pay for them!"

"Do not think that you can cower me with your words, nor that you can impress me with your filial devotion." Mizuchi armed her duel disc, and the darkness around her enveloped both duelists, dividing them from the rest of the world. "My brother may have become The Devil, but I am Death, and you have no conception of what it is I am truly capable of."


	46. Chapter 46

**Fallen Angels, Twisted Reflections**

"I'll set five cards, and end my turn." Midori Hibiki said, not bothering to hide her contempt for her opponent. "Even though time is of the essence, I hope this duel takes a while; I wouldn't want to risk letting you off easy." Mizuchi Saiou gave a simple laugh as her opening response.

"You truly are a vicious creature, aren't you?" The darkness that she'd summoned surrounded both duelists, the only light coming from the cards, their images reflected in the mirrors. "And yet, unlike your charge, you yourself are only human. Even so, you seek to prevent our success, and more then that, you won't stop until you've hurt my brother; thus, I will stain myself even deeper, in the darkest pitch black, to make sure that neither you nor anyone else can stop The Eternal Dawn." The darkness flowed around her, as though both supporting her, and feeding upon her. "I play Cursed Gift, which allows me to set one monster from my hand to your side of the field, and then I discard one card from my hand. And that card is Beiige Vanguard of Dark World, who when discarded is then special summoned to the field."

"Wrong." Midori snapped her fingers, a thunderous sand that cracked and echoed throughout the darkness. It was barely visible, but the black bolt of lightning made itself known, and destroyed the demon. "My trap card, Flash of Black Lightning. You're not going to activate Morphing Jar's effect that easily."

"So it would seem." Mizuchi looked at the Reign-beaux Overlord of Dark World in her hand, and at the four remaining cards on Midori's side of the field; all she needed was to get her monster out, and they would all be gone in an instant. "But it will be activated. I summon Broww Huntsman of Dark World, and declare my attack."

Another snap, and this time it was a black fire that consumed Mizuchi's monster.

"By discarding my remaining card, I activate Infernal Flame, which not only destroys your monster, but also deals damage to you equal to half its attack power." The fire roared and exploded, crashing down on Mizuchi for seven hundred points of damage. "How does it feel now? To have your every move anticipated and negated?" In one of the mirrors, the image of Mizuchi's duel with Judai appeared, silent yet telling.

"Truly, your prowess meets the high standards of the rumors about you; the woman who was once the power behind the World Champion, now teaching her students, only rarely ever revealing her true power."

"And while you've kept yourself far more hidden then that, I have far more than mere rumors to go on; your handiwork speaks for itself, and this...is only the beginning of the end for you."

"The end? Don't even imagine that you can end this; it all began by my hand, and your's will not the be one to stop it. I set one card to end my turn." A snap, a hole formed in the ground, and a great wailing and gnashing of teeth issued forth from it.

"My trap card, Hell Reclamation; by sacrificing a monster I control, I can add a Fallen Angel monster in my grave back to my hand. Thus, I sacrifice the face down Morphing Jar you gave me to reclaim Fallen Angel Legion." Long bony arms reached up through the hole and dragged down Morphing Jar, releasing their hold on another prisoner of hell. "And now I'll set one card to end my turn." A portal then opened up, and as it did, the second mirror began to shine with its own light, showing the duel between Mizuchi and Junko, when Mizuchi had possessed Lenali Ouka to execute her will.

"Gateway to Dark World, which allows me to special summon a Dark World monster from my grave, but preventing me from summoning any more monsters on the turn it was activated." Beiige emerged, assuming a wary posture with its spear. "That is to say, your turn." The portal slammed shut. "And now I play Dark World Dealings, allowing each of us to draw and then discard one card from our hands." The clang of metal upon the ground. "And when Goldd Warlord of Dark World is discarded, I can special summon it to the field. Now, I will attack you directly, and pay you back more then four-fold for what you've done already."

The demonic monsters rushed forward, their weapons gathering the darkness all around them to strike with, so much so that actual light broke through. This served to highlight the black fog that rolled in, precipitated by Midori's snapping fingers.

"With Dark Mist, I send Fallen Angels Amon and Forneus to the grave, their levels being the same as your attacking monsters. Furthermore, by Forneus's effect, I add Fallen Angels Beelzebub and Caim to my hand from my deck, and with Amon's effect I draw one card. And all together, this fulfills the conditions for my Devil's Due trap card." Shadowy hands reached up and took away the three cards that had just been added to Midori's hand. "By sending these three cards to the grave, I can draw an additional three cards during my next draw phase, but you get to draw one card right now."

"I see..." Mizuchi paused in contemplation; the duel had not been going on long, and yet she was already in dire straits. Everything that had been happening so far had happened according to Midori's will, and yet at no point did she demonstrate even a hint of the kind of powers that she possessed. "Are the cards...truly responding to her." Mizuchi whispered, her voice swallowed in the darkness. "No...it is just as they say." Mizuchi set the card that she just drew. "It is darkest before the dawn. Go ahead Midori, try to break through my barrier."

"Gladly; I play Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy your face down card." As the cutting winds tore through the card, darkness shaped like a shield emerged from it; it enveloped Mizuchi's monsters, and then exploded into Light.

"Because I only had nine levels worth of monsters on the field, I only get back nine hundred life points, and can draw one card." Mizuchi fully grasped the desperation of this move, but focused on her conviction, on her purpose, on all that she had done and sacrificed to get to this point.

"That was a mistake, your final mistake Mizuchi." Midori called out, now exercising the full extent of her wrath. "I remove all four Fallen Angels in my grave from play to special summon from my hand Fallen Angel Legion!"

One soldier, draped in raven wings, flew down onto the field. He held his sword up high, a wicked looking blade meant for pain over death, and howled, his maw like that of a wolf. His call was answered as four more fallen angels descended onto the field. "For every Fallen Angel that I remove from play, Fallen Angel Legion special summons a Legion token to the field. Furthermore, for every token on the field Fallen Angel Legion gains five hundred attack points, and in turn the tokens attack power is always equal to Legion's. Finally, Fallen Angel Legion can't be targeted until all the tokens are destroyed." The five soldiers crossed their swords, joining their powers together.

"And do not think that I will stop after the second attack, Mizuchi; You attacked Judai when you converted Junko, you attacked him again when you had your apostle convert Asuka, you attacked him a third time when you tried to convert him, you attacked him yet again by putting him into despair in his duel against Manjoume, and you attacked a final time when you tried to use Shou against him; five attacks, they each demand their own response, and with my Legion, that response will now be made. Attack!"

The first Fallen Angel was swift, decisive, absolute; he bisected Mizuchi straight down the middle, and such was the force of Midori's will that even the shadows themselves wavered. But as the second legionnaire began to make his move, the shadows gathered around Mizuchi; they took her pain, the damage that she'd suffered, and birthed from that two demons.

"I will not lie; it was a desperate move, activating Black Shield of the Light; I did not know that I would obtain The Messenger of Hades, Gorz. Even so, I refused to lose faith, and so I have obtained the means to defeat you, Midori." The third mirror now shined of its own light, showing a duel that must have taken place several years ago, judging by Mizuchi's appearence in it; her opponent was a towering figure, much like the monsters he'd summoned against her, and yet with Kaien and Gorz's combined strengths they were able to emerge victorious.

The Gorz and Kaien of the present took a defensive posture before Mizuchi, and while the legionnaire could defeat Gorz, the maiden at his side was another matter; its defense equal to the Legion's attack power, Kaien formed an invincible wall to them.

"...I'll set one card, and end my turn." Midori looked upon the black haired women before her; the Kaien token seemed less a card, and more an avatar of Mizuchi, an embodiment of her soul. And though Mizuchi hid it well, Midori could see it in Kaien's face; the sorrow of seeing Gorz fall, an obvious stand-in for Takuma. "No." Midori whispered to herself. "There is nothing redeeming here; she is a monster, draped in the darkness and nothing else."

"Now," Mizuchi said, claiming her turn, "I play my spell card, Hell's Revenge." The phantasmal image of Gorz overlapped that of Kaien, and immediately faded from her eyes, replaced by one of focus and determination. "With Gorz in my grave, I render Kaien immune to destruction until the end of my turn, and she can attack every monster you control; however, in return I only deal half the battle damage I would otherwise." Kaien decapitated the first Legionnaire. "But this will be enough for now." Kaien tore off the Legionnaire's arm, clubbing him with it for 250 points of damage. "Ever since that day, my life has been building to this moment." Kaien ran her sword through the third Legionnaire's arm for 500 points of damage. "Through conviction of purpose, and remembrance of the past, I've remained strong." Kaien caved in the fourth Legionnaire's skull for 750 points of damage. "And while it is not yet enough, the power of Darkness, will be made to fulfill the fate of Light and bring about the Eternal Dawn." Fallen Angel Legion tried to fight back, but Kaien and the phantasm of Gorz grabbed up the swords of the fallen legionnaire's, and in four strokes slew the final Fallen Angel for one thousand points of damage.

"Remember, Midori; it is because of Judai, Asuka, and Momiji, that all this has come to pass. Were it not for their power to change the fate that I and my brother have foreseen for this world, this would not be necessary."

Midori had fallen to her knees, her body wracked with pain in the wake of the supernaturally imposed sympathy with her monsters; her head was splitting, her arm hanging on by a string of flesh, her chest and neck bleeding profusely, and all over her body were deep terrible cuts; all this was the image of her body that now existed in Midori's mind. An intense sensation that defied logic or the power of the senses to overcome, the shadows empowered it again and again, refusing to release Midori from their grasp.

And beyond that, she was struck with visions of her brother, of Kouyou lying still, unmoving, his coma unabated. Her inability to do the slightest thing to affect it, her impotence to this fate that she detested with all her heart, all this circled about her heart, driving her to the point of absolute despair. Body and mind wracked with pain, Midori found that her will to oppose Mizuchi was fast fading away.

"Midori!" And then she felt Judai's hand on her shoulder, and it all began to wash away, the soft light of Winged Kuriboh standing watch over them. "Come on, it's not over yet; Kouyou lost against you every time, but he never gave up. And I lost just about every time against him, and I never gave up either." The pain wracking her body faded away, the visions assaulting her dissipated. "I know I'm being selfish, asking you to stay in harm's way like this..." Judai then cracked a smile, and laughed. "But hey, you're always supporting and encouraging me, so I'll try and be a better little brother and support you too."

Midori smiled and stood back up. "Thank you Judai." She said, looking down into his eyes. "But you're going to have to support me in spirit; I have a feeling this next exchange will be worse, and I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

"Sure thing Midori!" As Judai stepped back, fading behind the veil of darkness, Midori saw the look of shock in Mizuchi's eyes; it only lasted a moment, but it was a telling one. It told of disbelief in her bond with Judai, and Midori...could no longer feel the anger she once did; it was still there, but the driving passion of it was gone, and now she was faced with her opponent, who despite the following of her apostles and her loyalty to her brother, seemed terribly alone.

"Mizuchi." Midori said, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "I can't yet begin to forgive you...but I am willing to concede to you your humanity. So, if you would the dark powers, we can finish this in a more humane fashion."

"Unfortunately, that is not possible." The darkness all around them contracted, writhed. "I have been indebted to the darkness for so long, and I am here, because this is the fate that I have chosen; so long as you are willing to continue to oppose me Midori, I will not stop, not when I am so close to fulfilling my destiny, and sacrificing my life and soul to create a better world in the warm embrace of the Light." The darkness howled around her, as though...it were objecting to her declaration. She paid it no mind though. "Now, because I destroyed five of your monsters, Hell's Revenge allows me to discard one card, and then draw two more." She paused to examine her new hand. "I set one card, and end my turn."

"Very well then." Midori drew her next card, surrounded by a veritable aura of power. "I shall stake everything on this turn, and bring a close to this chapter. I activate my trap card, Angel Fallen Into Darkness, discarding Fallen Angel Asmodeus to special summon Fallen Angel Desire, and activate his effect, reducing his attack by one thousand points to send your Kaien to the grave." A gentle wave of darkness fell upon Kaien, drowning it. "And now I attack you directly."

Fallen Angel Desire raised one arm and thrust forward, striking Mizuchi square in the chest. A moment passed, and it was clear that her hands were holding that fist.

"Hope." Mizuchi pushed the Fallen Angel away, denying its desire for victory. "When I would suffer enough damage to defeat me, this trap card allows me to recover that damage as life points. Furthermore, by discarding a card from my hand, I can return the Kaien token back to my field at full strength." The black haired woman returned, the updraft of power causing her hair to flare up. "Furthermore, because the card I discarded was Kahkki Guerilla of Dark World, I can now destroy your Fallen Angel Desire." The vicious imp struck, leaping with the aid of Kaien's current of power and slitting Desire's throat.

But as the Fallen Angel fell, a new wellspring of power emerged on the field, slowly taking shape. "My final trap card, Destruction's Destiny." Midori snapped her finger, and the power coalesced into the shape of Gorz. "By discarding one card when a Fallen Angel I control is destroyed by a card effect, I can choose a monster in your grave." Gorz drew his swords and held them out. "And then I deal to you damage equal to that monster's original attack power." Gorz stepped forward, grim in determination and purpose. Kaien tried to stop him, but despite all her power, her blows passed through him as though air. Gorz stood over Mizuchi, towering in his presence. He slammed his sword down before her and struck just above Mizuchi's head, striking at the darkness that she'd gathered all around herself.

Mizuchi was held silent as she watched the darkness that she'd harvested gathered itself together. It was like a Black Sun in the middle of the dorm, calling all shadows to itself. "Very well." Mizuchi said, letting her arms drop to her side and closing her eyes. "If this is indeed my fate, then I shall accept it, for it is what I've earned." The Black Sun began to slowly descend upon her; Judai, Asuka, Edo, and Midori, they all stared in shock as her doom descended upon her. Judai and Asuka tried to summon their duel spirits, hoping that Kuriboh and Winged Kuriboh could oppose that dark power, but the spirits were terrified beyond reason and would not try.

"Lady Mizuchi, I'm here to help you." Sayuri Watanabe said, her hand taking hold of Mizuchi's.

"Lady Mizuchi, do not listen to that dread voice." Kouta Hoshino said, his hand on her back.

"Lady Mizuchi, your future does not end here." Yumi Ayame said, her hand holding off the darkness.

"Lady Mizuchi, it is time to let go off your guilt." Tarou Araide said, his hand held before her, waiting for her to take it.

As the darkness faded away, as the light returned to the dorm, the four mirrors began to shine, each one showing how it was that Mizuchi had saved the lives of her Apostles. As Misawa, Momiji, Momoe, and Rei made their way in, Judai and the others watched the scenes playing out before them. Once finished, the mirror's turned ashen gray, and fell apart.

"Mizuchi." Midori approached her as Mizuchi's Apostles stood at the ready to protect her. "I don't understand...you saved their lives. So why do you believe that you're doomed? Why do you believe that you have to sacrifice yourself and do all this, just to bring about The Eternal Dawn?"

"...All this...all that you've seen of me, all that you've heard of me...it is only a drop in the bucket; from that day, I had given my life over to Darkness, because I believed in my heart that only I should bare that burden; that as much as possible, I had to take on the pain and darkness of others, to ensure their safe passage into the Light." She pulled out a mirror from out her sleeves, a mirror that Momiji instantly recognized.

"That was the mirror that you tried to use to tell my fortune."

"Yes, it is. I had used this mirror in another fortune; it was a few years after we were expelled from our parents home in an effort to cover up what had happened to you, Momiji."

"For years we had wandered here and there, offering our fortunes to make our way. Inevitably, someone would become displeased with their fortune and we were forced to move on."

"Until that day." Edo said, completing the thought. "Show us what happened; show us the truth of the fate that we've all become a part of."

Mizuchi nodded silently, and held the mirror up. Its surface began to grow, and soon it was as though everyone had been taken back in time. And they watched as the scene unfolded before them, wary, and waiting.


	47. Chapter 47

**Nightmare Revealed, Start of Darkness**

"Takuma, we have a customer who has specifically requested you." Mizuchi said this as she guided a tall, muscular looking man into the office that she and her brother had rented, using the money that they'd managed to save from the last town they'd stayed at. Takuma was seated in a plain chair behind a plain-looking table, the only decoration a thin purple cloth hanging over the table. In the middle of the table was Takuma's Tarot deck, and Mizuchi's mirror, the tools of their craft and likelihood.

"I've been looking forward to this, Takuma Saiou." The man took off his hat and bowed before the teenage fortune-teller; his suit was prim and neat, his hair trimmed down efficiently, and not even a hint of a line could be seen on his face. "My name is Hiroshi Kobayashi." His shoes, his tie, even his accent, they all spoke of his great wealth and status. His voice was smooth and baritone, and he spoke with a melodic harmony. He held out his business card to Takuma, which proclaimed him a member of upper management in OptiBiotics International. "Now, please explain to me, just what is it exactly you do here? All my friends and associates, and friends of friends and associates of associates...it is like the childhood game of telephone, the original message is inevitably lost."

"Gladly, Mr. Kobayashi." Takuma smiled at the man and looked briefly to Mizuchi; they communicated silently in the manner of those who are close and depend on one another in all things. Mizuchi took her mirror from the table and sat off to the side, so as to observe the fortune and be ready to provide support if that were to prove necessary. "You see, I and my sister, we are gifted with the power to see the Light; it is not the normal kind of light, the kind you get from a candle, a lamp, or even the sun. It is a spiritual Light that shines upon the human soul, and with the right tool, or lens as it were, we can use this sight of ours to see beyond the material; the past, the present, and the future." As Takuma spoke, he shuffled Hiroshi's business card into his Tarot deck, and then removed it.

"For this reason." Mizuchi said from her seat, her eyes firmly upon her mirror. "It is important that we know what it is you wish to ask of us; an open honesty of the soul makes it that much easier for us to see the truth of the human heart."

"Ah, you certainly are a sweet young lady, aren't you?" He reached into his pocket and produced another business card and handed it to her over her mirror. "That's the card for a son of an associate of mine, one who could do far worse than you." Hiroshi then took his seat before Takuma, unable to see Mizuchi discretely discarding the card she was given. "And it's just as well that I mention that boy, because my concern is very similar to his. Now, I don't need you to find a bride for me; I've already found her, a lovely little thing." He reached into his other pocket, and pulled out a locket, and in that locket was a picture of a woman with short brown hair and striking red eyes. "Her name, as it so happens, is Ai Suzuki." Hiroshi chuckled a little after saying the name. "Now, I know that she and I would be very happy together, but she has spoken most unambiguously on this matter, directly to me without any intermediaries such as friends or family; for her to consider accepting my hand, she says that there must be a sign, clear and absolute."

"Your favorable fortune will therefore bring me and her, and our families, and our business associates, a great deal of happiness." Hiroshi then produced a thin envelope. He opened it, revealing ten million yen. "And for bringing this joy to our lives, I am ready to pay you most generously."

"Of...of course!" Takuma Saiou was in a state of euphoria; in all the years that he and his sister had been traveling, ever since that day when his hubris had caused Momiji to fall into a coma and their own parents to cast them out, he had dreamed of something like this, hoping that they would meet someone who so valued their future...and with that money, he could finally provide Mizuchi with a proper home, not some hovel in a wall where the rats were kept out with little more than prayers.

"Takuma, focus." Mizuchi said, looking concernedly into her mirror; there was so much Darkness in the world as of late, and it took her time to separate it out and see the Light that was there.

"Of course Mizuchi." Takuma said, composing himself. He put the deck in front of Hiroshi, and cut it. "Now, think of your feelings for Ai; think of your passion for her, and the future you see together. Gather all this into your heart and soul, and shuffle the cards together. The Light of your soul will guide the cards, and I will read the results, and tell you as best I can what your future holds for you." Takuma watched Hiroshi shuffle with an eagerness he hadn't known in years. He recalled how at the beginning of the day, the card that was on top of his deck was The Wheel of Fortune, and now he knew what the predicted change in his and Mizuchi's fate was to be.

"All right, I think I've sufficiently...charged the cards." Hiroshi returned the deck, his hearty chuckle filling the room. "So, show me what's in store; remember, money's no obstacle."

"Right away, sir!" Takuma Saiou drew the top five cards of the deck and arranged them in a diamond pattern. He turned over the card on the far left, marking the past. "The Emperor...in reverse." Status driven and tyrannical, these were the words that rang in his head. With determination, Takuma shook off the ill feeling that he was already getting. "Of course, by itself it doesn't mean anything; that is why I will turn over the second card, and complete my insight into your past that will lead to your future." Takuma turned over the bottom card, and saw that it was Strength, also reversed. It spoke to him of rage, and again of tyranny. He looked up, and saw that the man was smiling; Takuma surmised that to him, the cards must have seemed upright.

"Brother." Mizuchi whispered to him. "Stay strong." She continued to gaze in her mirror, and what she saw displeased her; still, it was wise to wait, until the full truth made itself known, and then to act.

"Of course." Yes, after all, Takuma thought to himself, this was merely a reading of the past; surely when it came to the present and the future, a more positive outcome, more reflecting of the generous, magnanimous man before him now. "Now, for your present, I see...The Lovers, again in reverse." Hiroshi's narrowed a slight amount at the center card that had just been turned over. "Now that, I can assure you, is nothing bad at all; all it really marks is the uncertainty of this relationship that you seek, nothing more." Hiroshi smiled gregariously.

"Ah, is that so? Well, I thought I was sure, but I suppose you have a point there. Still, so long as our future will prove sunny and bright, with many blessings in store, then I shall be satisfied."

"I am glad that you're being so accommodating." The Sun and The Star, these were the cards that Hiroshi was asking for, and Takuma knew that these had to be the cards of his future. He turned over the far right card, and saw The Tower in reverse.

A great weight began to fill the room; disaster? Sudden downfall? And yet, when Takuma looked the man in his eyes, he saw nothing but optimism and joy, so why?

"And now, the final card, to clarify the future..." He turned over the top card. "Temperance, in reverse." Five cards in reverse, and the fifth promised domestic strife and conflict. Takuma had never seen anything like it before, and began to wonder if the card that he saw that morning was upright, or reversed.

"Brother, tell him the truth." Mizuchi's eyes were wide, as though she were staring into a waking nightmare beyond her mirror. "Be firm, and stand your ground."

"All right." Takuma found his breathing was becoming shallow, but he focused himself; the man seemed to value appearances , so composure was the only option. "Mr. Kobayashi, I'm afraid I will have to council you against pursuing this relationship. The fate that follows this path, is one of pain, misery, and suffering. But the paths of fate are many! Yes, just because Ai is not the one for you, is no cause for despair..." He watched as Hiroshi gathered the cards back together, and started shuffling them again.

"Sir, you have your fortune, so please..." Hiroshi put his hand before Mizuchi, silencing her.

"Just a minute, young lady; your brother hasn't done his job yet. Once he has done so, I will have time to speak with you." He smiled at her, but the image reflected in the mirror was more vicious than kind. "Perhaps you can then offer me further advice on just what to say, and when."

"Sir, I'm sorry it didn't work out like we'd hoped, but I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do about it."

Hiroshi put the cards back onto the table, and even cut them. "I have time, and I have money, and you have no other customers in the immediate future. Provide me with a positive fortune, and I will leave you with your duly earned reward."

"Sir, you don't understand; so long as you are continuing to feel the way you are now, so long as you continue to pursue this fate, your fortune will always be the same."

Hiroshi simply looked Takuma in the eye, conveying to him without words the sheer gap in strength, power, and resources that existed between them.

"Very well." Takuma drew the cards, arranged them, and turned them over. "The Emperor, Strength, The Lovers, The Tower, and Temperance, all in reverse."

A line formed on Hiroshi's face, a clear precursor to a far more grim expression, and he cut and shuffled and cut the cards again. Once more Takuma drew the cards, and found the same reading before him.

"Sir." Mizuchi now stood up, her mirror held down and away from Hiroshi. "Leave us. We can't give what you want, so please leave us in peace."

"Heh heh, leave you in peace?" The man stood up and held the Saious in his gaze, a very real manic quality now present there. "Don't you get it yet? All you have to do is tell one simple little fable, provide a convenient story for that superstitious girl, and everything will be squared away. And if you don't, if you refuse to redeem your existences in this manner, then I'll have to make a few calls."

"Calls?" Takuma said, terror gripping his heart.

"Yes, I've done my research; I know why it is you can't stay in any one place for long. Your fortunes always find a way to work out, and when you prophecy a negative outcome, you are inevitably blamed." The man now stood like giant, like a terrible ogre holding his tetsubo over their heads. "But you're not going to get your chance to run this time; you're going to give me the future I ask for, or else your future is going to end prematurely."

"Mr. Kobayashi, if you continue to threaten us, I will call the police." Hiroshi turned the full intensity of his gaze upon Mizuchi.

"You know, it doesn't seem at all like my words are getting through to you petulant brats. Maybe if I take more decisive action, your brother will sense and give me what I want!" Hiroshi reached out at Mizuchi, the force of his intent holding her in place.

"Don't even try it!" Takuma slammed into Hiroshi, and despite Takuma's overwhelming disadvantage in size and strength, he was somehow able to knock the man over, knocking the table over in the process. "I've already brought my sister down here, I won't let anything happen to her again!"

Hiroshi studied himself as the young Takuma continue his assault; his suit was ruined, his tie was torn, and his hair was mussed. "Oh, that is it you brat!" He slammed Takuma away, back into the fallen table. Less then a moment later he leaped forward and wrapped his large hands around Takuma's throat. "If you didn't see this coming, you obviously weren't much of a fortune teller to begin with, heh heh heh."

Takuma felt his consciousness fading fast; still, so long as Mizuchi seized this opportunity to flee, she could still be safe, she could still find a place that she could call home for a little while longer. As the darkness began to smother him, smothering the Light within him, he knew at least he would die for a worthwhile cause.

And then, suddenly, Hiroshi released him. Takuma hacked and coughed as he struggled to regain his breath, and when his vision came back to him, what he saw confounded him; Hiroshi was flailing about, clutching at his chest as though attempting to fend off an invisible assailant. Takuma stared at the man as he continued to struggle, showing no sign at all of progress. He fell to his knees and his face began to swell; his veins were so distended, it was as though they were about to explode.

And then Takuma tore his eyes away from that sight, and saw the source; he saw Mizuchi on her knees, holding her mirror in her right hand angled exactly at Hiroshi's chest. And her left arm...was passing through the mirror, right where his heart would be.

"Mizuchi!" He cried out, and he tried to make his way to her, but he stumbled.

And then the room became silent. Hiroshi was silent, unmoving and unmarked, aside from Takuma's ineffectual attack, his hands clutched over his chest. Slowly, Mizuchi pulled her arm back out, and her fist was covered in blood.

"Mizuchi..." He crawled towards her. "Mizuchi, what did you...how..." She held her bloody hand towards him, stopping and silencing Takuma.

"Don't come any closer Takuma; I made my choice. I saw the two fates before me, and I've chosen the fate of Darkness." She looked over at Hiroshi's body. "I chose to kill him, and I would kill him again, and again, and anyone else who would keep you from fulfilling the fate of Light that I've foreseen for you."

"Light? But Mizuchi, you are..." The words caught in his throat, his eyes unable to avoid her blood covered hand.

"I'm sorry, brother." Tears came down her eyes she got up and began to make her way out. "Remember, I will always be supporting you from the shadows, so please, walk out into the Light with your head held high. Together, we will bring about a new world, one that matches how kind you are." As she left the office, left behind her sobbing brother, left behind the still corpse of the man that had served as the instrument of fate, the vision faded.

* * *

"When I crushed that man's heart in my hand," Mizuchi said as she turned her mirror over, "it was not just my hand that was stained with red blood; my very soul became stained an indelible black, one that I could never wash out...nor did I want to. The future that I and my brother foresaw, the glorious future of Light where all was known and mankind was without strife, could not be obtained only through enlightenment and salvation; it is always darkest before the dawn, even more so for an eternal one. Where Takuma walked with his head held high, saving lives and bringing peace, I would sneak in the shadows, taking lives and bringing ruin. I embraced and accepted this fate, because I believed it best that only I should not pass into the world of Light that is to come."

"Mizuchi." Midori walked up to the fallen Miko, Mizuchi's apostles parting for her. "You really can't see it, can you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You saved your brother's life." Midori swept her hand out to indicate the Apostles. "You saved their lives, and not just from death; you saved them from themselves, and brought them to the people who could help them the most." She cupped Mizuchi's face in her hand. "You are no more an angel of death, then I am a fallen angel; we are only humans, trying to do what we believe is right for the ones we love." Midori then brought her hands down, and clasped Mizuchi's in hers. "Maybe if you let us all share in your burden, you won't have to walk alone in the darkness anymore."

Mizuchi looked all around herself, saw all the hands reaching out to her. There was a long silence as she felt her grip upon the darkness in her soul weakening. "My power..." She remembered that sensation she felt back then, when she murdered the man who was about to kill her brother. She remembered that grim satisfaction, the peace that came of her conviction that everything from then on was already decided. "Could it really be..." She had thought herself beyond other humans, she had thought herself the only one who could do what had to be done, for the sake of everyone, and for her brother's sake. "I'm...only human." Mizuchi was about to collapse, but her Apostles, the lost souls that she'd saved, were there to catch her.

"That's right, my beloved sister." Everyone looked up, for on the second level of the Osiris Red Dorm, Takuma Saiou had revealed himself. "You are human, and as such are as deserving of the World of Light as any other." Tears were flowing from his eyes as he raised his arms into the air, an ecstatic grin upon his face. "Praise be to Fate, that has seen fit to save my sister from her doom! Praise be to the Light, which burns away all darkness without exception! And praise be to you all, without whom this ultimate fate could not be achieved."


	48. Chapter 48

**Justice**

"Takuma Saiou..." Edo Phoenix said as he studied the man who was now in his gaze; he tried to see the many faces of this man he had called his friend and confidante. He saw the face of the scared boy who was scared by what his powers had done to Momiji, he saw the face of the sorrowful teenager who saw his sister commit murder to save him, he saw the face of the man who used his knowledge of the future to advance his own career, and now he saw the prophet who was poised to change the world and remake it in his own image. "Who are you?" But try as he might, he could not find the face of his friend, who he had trusted and had been trusted by in turn.

"I apologize Edo," Takuma said as he made his way down the stairs, wiping the tears from his face, his ecstatic grin still etched upon his face, "but my euphoria demands my attention first. Rest assured, I will attend to you and your final role in the fate of the Association of Light very shortly." Edo watched Takuma walk past him, and found himself paralyzed; he looked around himself and saw that he wasn't alone. Everyone was also being held in place by Takuma's power...no, Judai, Asuka, and Mizuchi could still move.

"How interesting." Takuma paused when he reached Momiji. "It seems that the power of the Light that I'd blessed and cursed you with all those years ago has now been exhausted; now you are no longer among those who can alter the fate awaits us all." He walked past Momiji, and left some parting words. "Still, I am gladdened that you have recovered from my error."

And so Takuma made his way to his sister, who was surrounded by those she loved and who loved in turn. He wrapped his arms around her. "For so long we've been forced apart by the dictates of fate, but now our fates have brought us back together."

"Brother, you don't have to..." She spoke listlessly, and her forehead was covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"You are exhausted, and how could you not be? You've not been able to rest since the day you forced yourself into the Darkness to save me; you've been carrying not just my burden, and the burdens of your Apostles...you've borne on your shoulders the darkness of all sixty million members of the Association of Light. Such vigilance, such devotion...you deserve this chance to rest." Takuma released his sister, and she fell into exhaustion, her eyes closed and her breathing soft. "I will bear your burden now, and when you awaken, it shall be done in the glorious world of Light that you helped bring about."

"Answer my question!" Edo yelled out in defiance of his own paralysis. "Who are you? Because the man I thought I knew, the man I called my friend...he would never act so happy while plotting the subjugation of countless people!" As Judai and Asuka made their way to Edo to support him, he suddenly stepped forward; it was a jerky motion at first, but he picked up speed and in only a moment he had his hand on Takuma Saiou's collar. "Was Mizuchi right? Do you really think that you're The Devil? Answer me, stop avoiding me and answer my questions!"

"Edo..." Takuma's eyes were no longer wide with joy; as they grew to convey his shock, as his expression grew more dour, he gently removed Edo's hand from his collar. "I see...so this aspect of fate could not be altered after all. Or rather, you've chosen the most inopportune time to exert your will upon the fate I've chosen, and because of that, because of this conflict of souls, we will have to duel." A small yet sharp upward curve of a smile formed on Takuma's face once more. "Still, this is not a duel that ought to be hidden away in the shadows." Takuma snapped his fingers, and a sheen of light spread itself across the dorm. "Observe, the true form of the Osiris Red dorm!"

The walls of the dorm seemed to melt away, and the ceiling faded into dust, exposing everyone to the direct and unveiled light of the sun. Then the floor began to rise, revealing an advanced mechanism lifting the dorm above the ground. When all was said and done, the Osiris Red Dorm stood above all else on the island.

"This, this isn't real." Asuka said as her Kuriboh appeared at her side.

"No, not yet, Asuka Tenjouin of the Midnight Sun." Takuma Saiou said with a mild applause. "But it is what is to come in the World of the Light, a symbol of the everlasting strength of the Eternal Dawn; in the time to come, all will look upon it and know that even those at the bottom were raised on high to bathe in the glory of the Light."

"But that hasn't happened yet; we still have time to stop you!" Judai yelled out as his Winged Kuriboh flew around him in an expression of his determination.

"Indeed." Takuma said with a confirming grin. "You and Asuka, your two souls have the power to counter mine; but in due course, the one true path to victory against you two shall be revealed to me." He then turned away from them. "But you will have to wait your turn; right now, I must do what I've known I would have to do since the day I met him." Takuma Saiou armed his duel disc and faced Edo Phoenix.

"I see...if this is how I have to find out who you really are, if you were ever really my friend, then I will accept this challenge." As Edo armed his duel disc, a weight descended onto the field. "But know that I'm not dueling just for myself; for those whose fates you toyed with and manipulated, for the people whose lives were wrecked to raise me to this point...for them, I will find the truth and bring forth Justice!"

"Edo, I would have thought you'd understood by now; after all the suffering that you've witnessed and endured, after walking the path that I've foreseen for you, surely you've seen that the cessation of that suffering in its entirety, that only in the equity of the Light can there be true Justice!"

"I refuse to be party to that kind of justice! I'll take the first turn and play Graceful Charity, drawing three and discarding two, and one of the cards I discarded was Devoted Faithful One, allowing me to special summon two Devoted tokens. Next I play Monster Reborn and bring back the other card I sent to the grave, Kuraz the Light Monarch!" The king of light appeared, and with his great power he destroyed the two tokens, allowing Edo to draw two more cards. "And now I'll remove Graceful Charity in my grave from play to special summon Spell Striker from my hand, and then I sacrifice him to summon Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!" The great king of fire then raised his hands above his head, summoning a fire like the sun itself; it threw that fire and condensed to a bead, consuming a card from Takuma's hand. The fire then exploded in a storm of fury, fueled by the destruction of Arcana Force XXI The World, dealing eight hundred points of damage to Saiou.

"You've indeed summoned formidable opposition, Edo." His smile was unchanged. "But you've no more halted the advance of the world that is to come, any more then you've changed the past. Were you to simply accept my works and walk with me, you would be able to know peace again, Edo."

"Peace? I saw the peace that your works brought to Asuka and Judai and all the others; I'd rather go to war then live under that peace. I now activate my field spell card Royal Hall, and set two cards to end my turn." The vision of the future was now entrapped in darkness, lit only by the occasional fire sconce on the wall.

"All right Edo; just as you've brought your power against me, I shall reveal to you the true power of the Light! I play the spell card, Cup of Ace." The card appeared above Saiou and rotated with great speed. "If it stops in reverse, you can draw two cards. But if upright, I draw two cards. Well Edo? Do you believe that you can counter the fate desired by sixty million souls and have yours emerge triumphant?"

"Saiou..." Edo paused, the initial rush of the duel now having left him; even with the great scope of this battle, he knew in his heart he only cared for one truth. "Stop." It did, upright.

"And with that I draw two cards. One of which, is Vision." Takuma then removed his deck from his duel disc, and willed it to float before Edo. "Take the top card, and show it to me." He did as instructed, and the card they saw... "Arcana Force XV, The Devil. Entrapment and greed, ignorance and tyranny, for those trapped in the darkness these are the words that come to mind with this card. But I am not trapped; in the Light, I see myself for what I am, the one whose guidance shall bring about permanence. Now, return the card to the deck, and shuffle it how ever much you like."

"And what then? What happens if you get your Devil?"

"That shall be the moment of my victory in this duel; in that moment, you will take one thousand points of damage, and that will be enough for you to lose."

"I see...the moment of truth." Edo finished shuffling the cards, and they returned to Saiou of their own accord. "And in that moment, I will have my answer."

"So you shall. Now, I play the spell card, The World's Foundation; when I have an Arcana Force Monster in the grave of equal or greater level then the one in my hand, then I can summon that monster without sacrifice. Thus, The World that you sent to the grave allows me to bring forth Arcana Force X, Wheel of Fortune!" The monster that appeared was indeed like a wheel, though this one possessed many arms with which to turn itself. "Now, chose the time, and chose your fate."

"Stop!" Edo called out on instinct.

"Upright; movement, luck, a new cycle, these are the meanings of the upright wheel, and with this newfound fate, I can sacrifice Wheel of Fortune and special summon a random higher level Arcana Force monster from my deck." The wheel began to spin itself, faster and faster, and in a flash of light, it became a new monster, a mechanical construct that contained a strange alien being within it. "Arcana Force XVIII, The Moon." Once more the card appeared and began to spin.

"Stop!" Again, upright.

"Illumination and imagination, the unexpected possibilities that have brought us here, The Moon gives its blessing to my fate. And with that illumination to guide me, I play the spell card Prophetic Insight." A pair of faceless eyes appeared above Edo's cards. "If I can correctly declare the type of cards you have face down, I can destroy them both. One is a counter trap, the other is a normal trap." The eyes glared, and destroyed Edo's Mirror Force and Trap Jammer. "Now, Thestalos shall perish from this world." The moon brought down its hand upon Thestalos and slew it easily. But as it perished, a statue was erected in its memory, a Monarch Counter for the Royal Hall.

"Now I'll set one card, and end my turn." Saiou then took a step forward towards Edo. "Illumination and good fortune, arising from a fallen world; none of this could have happened without you, and your efforts to cling to the legacy of your parents; in truth, your power can only alter the method of how the fate I've chosen for the world shall be achieved, not the end result as you believed. That is the meaning of the reading of these cards on this turn alone."

"I don't believe you...no, I don't want to believe you Saiou." Edo looked up at the towering form of Saiou's monster. "I want to believe that my hope that we were friends, that I was more then just a pawn to you, is founded in truth."

"Edo, you are my friend; you've seen this in my words and deeds, so why would you have cause to doubt that?"

"It is because of what you've done...all of what you've done, the good and the evil, that I am in doubt. Were you like a serial villain twirling his mustache, or a saint ministering to the ill, I'd know who you are. But the truth isn't so simple, and it won't be easy, but I will find the Truth of your existence and our friendship, with my own hands. And it is with these hands that I will act! I remove the monarch counter from Royal Hall to add Zaborg the Thunder Monarch to my hand, and sacrifice Kuraz to summon it to the field!" The lord of thunder held his hands out, and the current that ran between them obliterated The Moon. "I'm not afraid to find the truth and face your power Saiou...I will stake everything on this! Zaborg, attack directly!" The crashing of the storm, the flash of the light against the stone, that was the power that dealt 2400 points of damage to Saiou. "I set one card, and end my turn."

"Very well; then I shall unveil to you another layer of the truth, in the hopes that you will see that I am right! I play Death's Transition; since I have three Arcana Force monsters in my grave, and one in my hand, I can draw two cards." The reaper appeared for a moment, harvesting the cards from Saiou's deck and placing them in his hand. "Now I play Reverse Reborn to bring back The Moon with the reverse effect, which fulfills the condition for my Foresight, allowing me to destroy your face down card." A beam of light erupted from Saiou's face down card and pierced Edo's face down Negate Attack, dividing it in half. The Moon attacked, and with its cold light it silenced the thunder. "Now, The Moons reverse effect would cause me to give to you during the end phase, but that shall not come to pass; I sacrifice The Moon to summon Arcana Force XI, Justice!"

A strange construct of a woman, her eyes sealed and a sword for her right arm. In her left hand was a scale, and one end of it was weightless feather. "Choose, Edo, choose the form of Justice that awaits us."

"...Stop." As the card stopped upright, the scales tipped, and Justice held the lower end towards Edo.

"As you can see, Justice is on my side." Edo suddenly felt a crushing presence all around him, dragging him down; at the same time, something was lifting Saiou up into the air by the same measure and force. "Balance, arbitration, fairness; by the upright power of Justice, our life point values are now exchanged." The scales were now balanced. "All that you've done to me, all that you've summoned upon to oppose me, has now been reversed upon you. Learn from this Edo! My victory is inevitable, the future has been chosen, and the past shall lie dead, unspoken in the glorious world of Light that awaits us all! I set one card, and end my turn."

"So there it is." Edo said as he brought himself back up. "Part of the answer anyway...you're trying to run from the past; you want to erase it all, and create a clean slate. Unfortunately, the future comes from the past, and so long as there are those who will remember their legacies, your vision will never come to pass! I discard a card from my hand to special summon The Tricky, and then I remove a Monarch Counter from Royal Hall to add Granmarg the Rock Monarch to my hand, and I sacrifice my Tricky to summon Granmarg!" With its great fist the king of the earth destroyed Saiou's face down card, Future Ordained. With nothing to stop it, it destroyed Justice for 300 points of damage. "That's the end of my turn, Saiou; looks like your future isn't so ordained after all."

"How clever Edo." Takuma Saiou said with a slight chortle. "And yet, you who desire to cling to your past...what is it you would bring to the world? You who are spurned by the Moon and by Fortune, and even by Justice itself! I play Fate's Decree, and by selecting an Arcana Force monster in my grave with a greater attack then a monster on your field, I can destroy that monster and draw one card!" The phantom of The World appeared and sliced apart Granmarg before descending back into the grave. "I fear not the past; it has no power over me, for it is the power of the Light to seize the Future and know the truth! I end my turn, Edo Phoenix."

"All right then..." Edo Phoenix drew his next card, and as he did, he reflected on Maria Croix and on his mother and father. "Let me show you it then...the power of the past! I remove another Monarch Counter and add Raiza the Storm Monarch to my hand, and then I play Royal Discard, sending Raiza to the grave and drawing five cards, one for every Monarch in my grave." The spirits of the fallen kings now surrounded Edo. "You may have thought that I've been walking the path that you set for me, Saiou...but the truth is far more complex then even you could see; I've become connected to a great many varieties of people, people who were shaped by pasts far unlike my own." He now reflected on Misao and Kanda of the Underground League.

"And despite the horrors of their lives, they became strong, because of what they were forced to endure. They fight to overcome their pasts, not to hide from it, but to prove themselves better than it! Saiou, witness all their power, witness the strength that I've gained from my journey apart from you! I now return all monsters in my grave back to my deck, to special summon from my hand Exodius The Ultimate Forbidden God!" The chains that sealed away the great god were broken, and it marched down onto the field in full fury of its power. "Now, I equip Valor of the Normal to Exodius, sending every level one normal monster from my deck to the grave, raising its attack power by two thousand from Valor's effect, and four thousand by Exodius's! For the four cards I sent were the arms and legs of Exodia, the symbols of the final deck that my parents created, that Maria Croix stole to change her fate, and the monster that I will use to end this duel and show you the truth! Clash of the Heavens, Exodo Blast!"

The great forbidden god, now unsealed and unleashed upon the world, struck without mercy. The inferno of its rage consumed Saiou utterly and towered up into the heavens, almost to the very sun itself.

The fire passed, and Takuma Saiou was revealed to be completely unscathed. "One who is at harmony can ignore the screams of the past; so it is with the discard of Arcana Force XIV, Temperance, allowing me to negate the damage from your attack. Furthermore, because you did not send the pieces of Exodia through its own effect, Exodius can't activate its final effect and win the game by sending Exodia itself to the grave."

"Be that as it may, I was still able to send Phoenix Gearfried to the grave, and since it acts as a normal monster while in the grave, Exodius's attack power rises by another one thousand points. But I won't let it end there! I discard a card and special summon The Tricky to the field once more, and then I sacrifice it to summon Caius the Shadow Monarch, who removes itself from play to deal one thousand points of damage to you!" The king of shadows was consumed by its own power, and that same darkness rushed over Saiou, tearing away at him. "Furthermore, by sending Valor of the Normal to the grave, I can deal another one thousand points of damage to you." The arms and legs of the fallen god struck out against Saiou, bashing and clubbing at him before vanishing. "Thus I end my turn, and now we are back on an even level, Saiou. Having witnessed this strength, do you now understand the truth?"

"Understand what? All you have done is to damage me, but the only life point that truly matters is the final one. All the noise and fury of your burdens, all the noise and fury of your so called truths..." Takuma Saiou began to laugh. "It is useless Edo! I have seen the future, and my vision is absolute! You will stand at my side, along with my sister, and together we will always know peace and never be troubled by the severed past! Now, I'll set one card to end my turn."

"Very well." Edo drew his card, and he felt an overwhelming certainty; on this turn, he would find the truth that he'd been seeking for so long, and even though it would cost him dearly, it would not be the end, but a new beginning. "That's right...I'm not dueling to win."

"What?"

Edo chuckled a bit. "I mean, I won't object if that's what happens, but my true goal, will be my true victory." He paused, and breathed deeply. "I now sacrifice Exodius to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch and destroy your face down card!"

"Exactly as foreseen!" As the biting winds were about to wipe Saiou's field clean, a great pillar of light arose. "This trap is activated when my opponent activates a monster effect; in other words, whether by attacking with Exodius or by summoning a Monarch, this fate was bound to come to pass! Now, the effect of Future Becomes Present; I turn over cards from my deck until I reach a monster card, and then I special summon that monster to the field in attack mode." He turned over three cards, and upon reaching the fourth, he grinned a manic grin. "Behold Edo, the card that has sealed your fate, that card that will bind you to the permanence of the new world to come...Arcana Force XV, The Devil!"

The monster that emerged was twisted beyond comparison to any other of the Arcana Force numbers. It was a writhing abomination, a creature of hooked tentacles and three eyes that gazed deep into the soul, speaking the silent wail of madness and temptation. "By the effect of Vision, by summoning this card, I now deal to you one thousand points of damage; I don't even need to turn the card, because I've already won!" A great spear of light pierced Edo through the chest, wiping away his life points.

But still he stood. "Stop."

"What?" Takuma looked up, and he saw the card over his monster, and saw that it had ended up in the upright position.

"Good. I know the truth now."

"What are you talking about? I've not done a reading, I have not revealed the meaning of the card to you!"

"You don't have to." Edo's breathing was deep, and he began to fall to his knees. "I knew in my heart, that this card would be the measure of my faith in you, of my trust. If it had been reversed, I would know that you were never my friend, that I was only ever a tool to you. But it is upright, confirming my faith in you, that in the deepest depths of your heart that you've locked away, you are my friend, my true friend."

"That's what I've been telling you Edo; you are my friend, and I've struggled to preserve you against the fate I foresaw for you!" Tears were now coming down from Saiou's eyes, his confusion real and disorienting to him.

"No...the you that is speaking now...the you who is determined to recreate the world in his own image...is not the friend I've known." Edo was now down on his hands and knees, barely able to keep himself off the ground. Weakly he turned his head towards Judai and Asuka. "I know it's a lot to ask, after all he's done to you and everyone else..." As Edo's voice grew faint, Judai and Asuka moved in closer to hear his final words. "But please, rescue my friend from himself. He deserves Justice...as much...as anyone else."

And with that, Edo fell unconscious, no longer able to oppose the fate foreseen by Takuma Saiou.


	49. Chapter 49

**The Cycle of Fate, The Journey Completed**

"Edo..." Judai said as he looked upon the fallen form of his friend, his form silent and still. "Of course we'll save your friend." Takuma Saiou responded to this with a light laughter.

"Oh, you truly are The Fool, in every capacity and meaning of the word." A bemused smile crossed his face as Asuka glared at him coldly. "And you, in your eyes I see your Judgment of me; you take offense at my straight forward words, and…" Suddenly he stopped, and his eyes grew wide in shock, and he stared the two duelists, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow. Even so, only Judai and Asuka could still move, and even as the rest of their friends and allies and faculty arrived, they became frozen witnesses to the final battle.

"What on Earth…" Asuka focused her glare into Takuma's eyes, and found that she could see layer upon layer of white being laid upon them, as though some manner of invisible hand was carefully applying a veil to his eyes. It reminded Asuka of…of… "The Rebirth."

A howl issued from Takuma's lips, and then a laughter, a riotous uproarious laughter. "I see!" He cried out, his arms stretched out to receive the blessings of the heavens. "At last, I can truly see!" He brought his gaze down upon Judai and Asuka, flashing a grin of ecstasy. "I've known for some time that the two of you, like my cousin Momiji, had the power to alter the fate I'd foreseen. But unlike Momiji, I only imagined that I knew the source of this power." He giggled, unable to contain his manic mirth. "I thought it a side effect of that man's experiments, but now I understand that he had nothing to do with it at all." He said with his laughter unceasing.

"What are you talking about?" Judai said, shocked by the latest sudden change to overcome Takuma Saiou. "That man…do you mean Daitokuji?"

"But…" Asuka said, pondering… "If his experiments were why we could resist, then wouldn't everyone else be able to resist you too?"

"That is very true, and it confounded me. Yet I could think of no other explanation, see no other possibility…but now I understand." Takuma pointed down at Edo's fallen form. "It is because of his desire for truth, that I am able to finally see." He then put his hand out and pointed at the two duelists. "You two have been chosen, singled out, selected…to one day serve as the tool of another power. Not even the Light could reveal to me the name and form of that power, but its intent and purpose was absolute and clear; through you two it would make all humanity into its playthings! Human existence would cease to have any validity, only existing at its whim and for the sake of its amusement…and I, the savior of humanity, The Devil that will guide all humans everywhere into the Light, will not allow that power to have its way."

"Is that so?" Asuka said as she armed her duel disc. "We're just supposed to take your word for it, that we're all just pawns one way or another, and we'd better just submit ourselves to your will if we know what's good for us? I'm sorry, but while you might have a fair idea of the problem, you've got a really warped idea on how to solve it. And I for one have no desire to submit my will to you ever again!"

"Asuka's right!" Judai yelled out as he armed his duel disc. "Even if there is some… power or whatever out there that wants to use us, I'm not going to let it get away with that anymore then I'm going to let you get away with it! If I've learned anything, from my friends and my teachers, and from Asuka especially, its that we're the only ones responsible for our fates, no one else!"

"Heh, for you two that is true, and that is exactly what I will crush! By the will of sixty million souls, I will enact the ritual battle known as a duel, and unleash the ultimate power of the Light and cleanse all human souls of their darkness, including you!" Takuma Saiou drew his cards. "In this duel, I will face both of you at the same time; I take the first turn, and no one can declare an attack until we've all had one complete turn. The two of you will share life points, and you can only declare an attack using your own monsters, but you will both have access to each others zones and graveyards. Yes…I believe this will balance things quite nicely."

"Balance?" Judai said in confusion. "Don't you remember? I beat you once before, in that dream I had before the first day."

"Such boundless optimism…that duel was merely a test, a foretelling of what was to come, one which even I had not truly understood until now. At the time I had thought that The World in reverse merely spoke of how your actions would lead to you being abandoned by all your friends and being forced to admit defeat to the Association of Light. But now I know it referred to the vision that I've just witnessed. No Judai, you are not the one who worries me in this duel." Takuma shifted his focus onto Asuka.

"That's right." Asuka said as she recalled her own dream duel against Takuma. "Even though I lost, I refused to give up to your will."

"And thus far, you are the only one to walk away from the Association of Light of your own will, without the aid of a duel. Even when defeated, even when walking in the path of Light that I've chosen for you, your will and judgment surpasses any other."

"But this too is also to the benefit of the fate that I've foreseen! With your power, all things will be possible, and it will be my will that decides what shall come to pass, now and forever! Now, to begin my turn, I play both copies of Mystical Cards of Light, and then I activate my Field Spell Card, Cycle of Fate!"

Takuma, Judai, and Asuka were all bathed in a pure white light that rushed over them like a flood, and when that tide came to pass, they saw that the venue of the duel had changed completely; they now stood in the center of a great circle, and all along that circle points were marked, twenty two in all, one for each Major Arcana.

"Now, witness it, the beginning of the end; I summon to the field, Arcana Force III The Empress!" As his monster appeared on the field, the number three mark began to blow. A brilliant flash of white, and Midori Hibiki appeared within it. "I can assure you, this is no coincidence, Judai; the cards, whether they be the Tarot or Duel Monsters, they've always acted as reflections of the human soul, and of all the souls gathered here today, none are so attuned to the purpose and meaning of The Empress as your dear teacher." The card appeared above her head, and stopped in the upright position. "By Midori's nature, The Empress can't help but be upright. The choice is now out of your hands, Asuka Tenjouin."

"Not until I give it up, Takuma Saiou. I set three cards, and then I summon Cold Enchanter in attack mode."

The ninth point on the circle began to glow, and within it appeared a woman dressed all in black, her skin pale from lack of sunlight. "Misao, The Lady Thorn. She dwells within the darkness, seeking her own meaning, acting with patience and guidance for those who gain her notice." Arcana Force IX The Hermit appeared, and the card above it was also upright. "In this manner, you will each be restricted to only attacking with your weakest monsters."

"No problem Saiou!" Judai said with an eager smile on his face. "This wouldn't be any fun at all if you weren't a great opponent…right Asuka?" He said with an inquiring smile on his face.

"Yeah, without an enemy like this, we could never reach our full potential."

"Is that so? What an interesting thing to say…but please, Judai, take your turn."

"All right, I'll set three cards, and then I summon Elemental Hero Stratos to the field, activating his effect to add Elemental Hero Ocean to my hand."

As the hero appeared on the field, his powers calling forth a great ally, the sixteenth point on the circle glowed. The figure that appeared within it was the Apostle of Fire, Yumi Ayame. "It is by this sign that collapse and reevaluation occurs…destruction and renewal, her power is now my power." Arcana Force XVI The Tower erupted onto the field, reaching high into the heavens as its card appeared above it, upright again. And as his turn began, the Mystical Cards of Light pulsed, giving him the power to draw two cards. "Ha ha, even fate itself has seen that my victory is the correct path, and so it bends to my will! And now comes the time of the execution of that will, of the fulfillment of this Day of Fate, of the heralding of the Eternal Dawn! Behold, Arcana Force IV, The Emperor!"

With The Emperor's arrival, the fourth point lit up, revealing Jun Manjoume within it. "Such a disciplined figure, trustworthy and full of willful drive and self-conviction…yes, among you all, Jun Manjoume is The Emperor." The card appeared upright, frozen, raising the attack power of all of Takuma Saiou's monsters by five hundred points. "Now, show it to me! Show me your power that you believe is equal to mine, that you were so eager to see me draw out! Arcana Force XVI, attack both their monsters, now!"

The Tower began its descent, its crumbling form sweeping across both Judai's and Asuka's fields to wipe away all monsters they controlled. As it reached Elemental Hero Stratos, a barrier appeared for only a moment, but it was enough to block The Tower's attack against it. This did nothing to stop its advance against the Cold Enchanter. But with a wave of her wand, a terrible ice cold blizzard intercepted the attack, delaying it long enough for her to assume a defensive posture; thus, when the attack broke through, no damage was dealt to Judai and Asuka.

"And that's just the beginning." Asuka said as Judai's Hero Barrier and her Blizzard Curtain were sent to the grave after their activation, The Tower now carrying the foggy mist of ice. "With the destruction of my Cold Enchanter, I activate my next trap card, Frozen Blessing; I pick up four cards, add one to my hand, and remove the rest from play. Furthermore, because it was added to my hand by a card effect, I can activate Frost Tiger's effect and special summon it to the field, which allows me to activate my final trap card, Cruel Frost, enabling me to destroy your Tower!"

The Frost Tiger roared, and the biting wind that answered its call shattered The Tower, leaving behind only a broken ruin. "Furthermore, because the monster I destroyed had an Ice Counter on it, Cruel Frost will deal one thousand points of damage to you as well!" The same wind tore down on Takuma, rending and ripping at him with frozen fangs like that of a tiger.

"Very impressively well done, Asuka." The fifteenth and the seventeenth points of the circle began to glow. "But this attempted destruction, is the very tool by which the Cycle of Fate is moved." Takuma Saiou appeared in the fifteenth point, while Sayuri Watanabe appeared in the seventeenth. "Whenever an Arcana Force monster is destroyed and sent to the grave, I can send one Arcana Force monster of the same tier, that is to say of the same level, to the grave, and then I special summon another to the field in attack mode." The image of Takuma Saiou kneeled down, while the Apostle of Earth stood proud. A flash of light, and Arcana Force XVII The Star appeared.

It was a creature of two halves; the upper a great and shining well of light, shining beneficently upon all in equal measure. The lower half was a well of darkness, the endless night sky inverted unto the ground. And the two halves were bound together by burning red threads. The card appeared above it, and it spun for a moment before stopping in reverse. "It would seem that Sayuri's memories of self-doubt and pessimism have managed to overpower this turn, but only for this moment." Takuma Saiou studied the monster that he summoned for a moment, then turned back to Judai and Asuka.

"Let me assure you, that any monster summoned by the Cycle of Fate can't attack in the turn that it is summoned. Furthermore, because of the reverse effect of The Star, you will each be able to draw two cards during your respective draw phases. Even so, I can still continue my attack; Arcana Force IX The Hermit, attack Frost Tiger!" The Hermit began to generate a huge fire beneath Frost Tiger, but before it could consume it, The Hermit began to sink, the ground beneath it having changed into a wretched swamp.

"Let's see how you like my Swamp of the Fallen trap card!" Judai yelled out as he observed the course of the battle; now reduced to half its attack power, The Hermit was seven hundred points weaker then Asuka's Frost Tiger, enabling the latter to leap out of the fire and break The Hermit, exposing it to the outside world it so despised.

"Useless endeavor." Once more two points on the great circle around them began to glow, the tenth and the thirteenth. The tenth, the Wheel of Fortune, belonged to Maria Croix, while the thirteenth was occupied by Mizuchi Saiou. "Wheel of Fortune, the turn of fate that speaks of weal or woe beyond our control." Maria bowed down before Mizuchi. "Death; the end of one life, and the beginning of a new, promising spiritual and sweeping transformation." Arcana Force XIII Death appeared, a gaunt figure whose arms and legs were made of scythes, but upon its back were the faded wings of a butterfly. "My sister dedicated herself to reaping humanity, separating the chaff of Darkness from the wheat of Light. For the fearful, it is a grim purpose, but for the enlightened, we know it for the great that it is." The card appeared above Death, and stopped in the upright position. "Now, for every four Arcana Force monsters in my grave during my next draw phase, I will be able to draw an additional card."

"But that is a matter for the future! The Emperor, destroy Elemental Hero Stratos!" The Emperor struck without hesitation or mercy, and Judai suffered 100 points of damage as a result.

"That's okay, 'cause now I can activate Hero Signal and special summon Elemental Hero Woodsman from my deck in defense mode!"

"Very well done indeed! Judai, Asuka, you're keeping up with me most admirably well. It is indeed as I've foreseen it; this duel will provide the clash of souls necessary to be called the final battle. Well, I'll just set one card, and end my turn." With that, The Star pulsed with light, granting Asuka an additional card.

"All right, I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, and activate his effect to add Cyber Angel Dakini to my hand, and then I play Machine Angel Ritual, sacrificing Frost Tiger and Manju to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Dakini!" The four armed goddess leaped onto the field, ready to crush all opposition.

"So now I must destroy one of my own monsters? Very well, The Empress." Dakini struck it down without hesitation, and once more two points began to glow, the second and the seventh. Rei Saotome stood within the second, while Momoe Hamaguchi stood in the seventh. "The priestess, the inner voice of truth, one that one must struggle to hear and understand, shall now give way to the progression of the Chariot!" Arcana Force VII The Chariot appeared on the field, and its card manifested in the upright position.

"Now I'll attack The Emperor, bringing all the rest of your monsters down to size!" Cyber Angel Dakini struck, tearing the Emperor apart for 800 points of damage. But despite it all, despite all the blows that had been dealt to him, Takuma's smile was ever constant, ever present on his face. His eyes still glowed with the pure white that only saw the Light. "You know, for all your special summoning, for all your manipulations of chance, you haven't managed to make any progress in this duel at all. I can't even begin to imagine what this duel must look like through your eyes."

"Already forgetting so soon, are we Asuka?" Another two points of the circle began to glow. "It is after all only the final life point that matters, as Edo himself experienced mere minutes ago." Principal Samejima appeared in the fifth spot, The Hierophant, while Judai himself appeared in the zero-eth spot. "Or maybe I'm just an optimist who can't see the cliff he is about to fall off of." Arcana Force 0 The Fool appeared in defense mode, its reversed effect denying it its otherwise near perfect protection. "Even so, I can assure you that what is yet to come will vindicate my confidence. Now, did you have anything else in mind for this turn?"

"Not as such, no. Go on Judai, pick up where I left off!"

"No problem Asuka!" Judai took a moment to study the field and acted. "I activate Elemental Hero Woodsman's effect and add Fusion to my hand, and then I summon Elemental Hero Ocean to the field and play the spell card R-Righteous Justice, which lets me destroy one spell or trap for every Elemental Hero I control; so I'll destroy one of your Mystical Cards of Light, and that face-down card of yours!" The heroes fired elemental blasts of water and wood at their targets, but just before reaching Saiou's trap, the blast of wood suddenly veered off and destroyed the other Mystical Card of Light."

"Well done Judai, but I could not let that come to pass; you see, so long as Cycle of Fate is in play, I can change any target to another valid spell or trap card I control."

"That's okay. Heck, that's kind of neat! I bet that trap of yours is really good, and we're going to find out real soon; I play fusion, sending Woodsman and Ocean to the grave to summon Elemental Hero Earth!" The hero punched up from the ground and pulled himself to the surface, briefly shattering the illusion of perfect control in Saiou's field. But once present, the damage was fixed. "And now I play H-Heated Heart, giving Earth an additional five hundred attack points this turn, and the ability to penetrate defense."

"Very familiar, isn't it Judai?" For a moment, the three duelists could see the phantasmal image of Judai's first duel against Takuma Saiou. "It wasn't the winning move then, and it won't be the winning move now! I activate my trap card, Reverse Weakness!" Elemental Hero Earth ignited with primal fury and leaped forward to attack The Fool. "This card forces you to attack my weakest monster," And as Elemental Hero Earth's fist impacted on The Fool's face, the fire of its spirit was directly channeled into Takuma Saiou, infusing him with considerable strength, "and for every thousand points of damage I would have taken, I will instead draw one card during my next draw phase. Thank you very much Judai; your fighting spirit and straight forward belief, just like The Fool that you are, has proven most useful for fulfilling my future."

"Yeah, I guess I did! But I can't feel too bad, 'cause I know that it means this duel is the one that's going to finish things here."

"Oh?" Takuma Saiou said with a bemused grin.

"Yeah; your duel with me, and your duel with Asuka, none of us were doing our absolute best, but this time is already different, right Asuka?"

"That's exactly right; it's like you've been saying all this time Saiou, how this duel is a clash of our souls? Well, if you need your utmost power to get your final victory, then that's the power we'll to crush in order seize control of all of our futures for ourselves! No matter what power you summon, no matter what shape it takes, I will not fear it, even if it should destroy my entire deck in a single blow…" Now Asuka was sporting a grin of her own. "All that would mean, is that I've found an even bigger hurdle to cross, and I've crossed quite a few to get here already."

"All right Asuka, that was awesome!" Judai cheered out, even throwing in a quick whistle. "Well Saiou, I'm going to set a card and end my turn."

"I see. Well, with Reverse of Weakness and Arcana Force XIII's effects, I now draw six cards, fully restoring my hand." The twenty second point of the circle, the final point, began to glow with a greater intensity then any other. "And now I will sacrifice The Fool and The Chariot to summon the last member of the Arcana Force monsters, Arcana Force XXI, The World!" A tower of Light erupted, heralding the arrival of Takuma Saiou's monster. But the figure that occupied the twenty-second point on the circle was not like the others; it was indistinct, faded, as though it could be anyone or anything. "The form of the future is yet in turmoil, but by my hand it will fulfillment, success, and joyous rapture!" The card appeared above the monster in the upright position, unmoving. "That's right, I will become The World, the one who guides the whole of all humanities future, for I am the only one capable of seeing the Light in all its glory! Attack, my invincible monsters, and show these obstinate enemies of mine the truth of their futures!"

The World attack Dakini, and bisected her with its laser for 400 points of damage. Then The Star eradicated the Earth, burning it away in its holy light for 200 points of damage. Death teleported before Judai and Asuka and swept its scythes across their chests at the same time for 2300 points of damage. "And now, to deny you the chance to act, to show you the true difference between your powers and mine." The World reached out and slew its companions effortlessly. "By sacrificing two monsters I control, I activate The World's effect and skip your turns, starting mine all over again! Arcana Force XXI, The World…" Takuma Saiou was becoming giddy, almost unable to control himself… "Attack directly, and bring all into the glory of my World!"

But as The World attacked, a new monster appeared; small and covered in fur though it was, with tiny little decorative wings even, Winged Kuriboh saw to it that the two duelists would survive another turn.

"Thanks partner." Judai said, moments after activating Flute of Summoning Kuriboh. "I don't know where I'd be without you."

"You wouldn't be anywhere, Judai; after all, what is a human without its soul?" Takuma Saiou said with a knowing grin.

"What?" Judai said with honest confusion. "How can Winged Kuriboh be my soul? It's just the spirit of the card, that's all."

"Just a spirit?" Takuma laughed in a derisive fashion. "No, you ignorant one…where would such a spirit come from, and why would it bond to such a construct as a little strip of cardboard and circuitry? No, as I tried to explain to Principal Samejima, there are no spirits; there are only humans, and the power that humans create. Yes, even though the details are largely lost and forgotten, the court of the ancient Pharaohs once knew the secret of transforming and sealing the power of the human soul, that it might serve as a great weapon. And that same residual power still resides in the game that Pegasus J. Crawford revived in the twentieth century, serving as the means to facilitate and resolve all manner of conflicts."

"The soul resonates with the duel!" The first point of the circle began to glow, and Shou Marufuji appeared in it. "By skill and focus, through proper guidance, great things can be achieved, and the human soul, all human souls, can be elevated beyond their past existences!" Takuma Saiou summoned Arcana Force I The Magician to the field, achieving its upright effect. "I shall achieve a new beginning that transcends even endings, breaking the cycle of human misery! I activate Magician's Scales, sacrificing my Magician to add a particular spell card from my deck to my hand, and then I activate it, Final Destined Choice."

A card appeared above the duelists, blank and white. "During my next standby phase, I can choose a card from my deck, and add it to my hand. At that time, the final destiny will be fulfilled, for the hour is almost upon us." Saiou gazed up at the sun, which was indeed almost at its zenith. "Yes, soon all shadows and darkness shall be obliterated, everywhere and without exception." He brought his attention down from the heavens and back to the Earth. "I now set two cards, and end my turn."

"Is that so? Well then, witness the form of my soul, and the power it possesses! I start by summoning Kuriboh, and then I play Card of Sanctity, allowing each player to draw until they have six cards in their hand. Next I play Multiply, sacrificing my Kuriboh to special summon ten Kuriboh tokens to the field." At once, ten of the little creatures appeared before Judai and Asuka, and now that Judai pressed himself to see it, he could see Asuka's indomitable will reflected in their eyes. "And now I'll play Call of the Goddess; since I control ten levels worth of monsters on the field, I can discard one card and add Machine Angel Ritual and Cyber Angel Amaterasu to my hand; in this manner, I sacrifice all ten of my tokens to Ritual Summon my greatest goddess to the field!"

Cyber Angel Amaterasu descended down from the very sun itself, and with that same light it armed itself with a piercing arrow; it drew the string of its bow, prepared to fire. "Furthermore, now that my goddess is on the field I activate my spell card Miracle Devastation and destroy all your face down cards!" With her mighty glare Amaterasu eradicated Takuma's traps, and with its arrow The World was destroyed utterly. With The World's passing Amaterasu gathered the remnants of its strength and bathed Judai and Asuka in that light, restoring their life points by 3100 points.

"From the basest Earth to the highest and most glorious heavens…truly your soul is most potent Asuka." The twentieth and the nineteenth points of the circle began to glow. "And it is a power that is destined to redeem the world with its glorious judgment!" Asuka appeared in the twentieth point, standing proud. "After all, it was you who tipped the scales in favor of the Association of Light, you who provided the strength necessary to achieve the critical sixty million souls in the Light…and it is with that Light that all will be made right!" Tarou Araide appeared in the nineteenth point. "Come forth, Arcana Force XIX, The Sun!"

Dancing around the brilliance of The Sun were small children, mere shadows in the presence of that light. The card appeared, and ended in the upright position. "By the upright effect of The Sun, by the enlightenment and greatness of which it speaks, I can special summon an Arcana Force monster from the grave…come forth, Arcana Force XVII, The Star!" This time, The Star's card was upright. "And now I accept the gift given to me by fate and special summon the Arcana Force monster from my hand in defense mode, Arcana Force VIII, Strength!"

As the strange monster manifested, Daichi Misawa appeared in the eighth point of the circle. The monster's eyes were upon Cyber Angel Amaterasu, and with that unearthly power the Goddess changed allegiance to Takuma Saiou. "Your goddess is one that can't be overcome by brute power, but rational strength shall always find the method to overcome. Do you see it Asuka? This is the power of fate, of the fate that I've chosen and dictated! You said you would not fear what power I brought against you, but what of your own soul twisted against you?"

"…I remove Frost Tiger in my grave from play to special summon Aqual Spirit in defense mode, set one card, and end my turn." Asuka could not say it, but this was a disheartening development; to see Takuma Saiou turn things around so completely and absolutely…and then she turned to see Judai's face, expressing for the first time in the duel his grim determination, and she remembered that there truly was nothing to fear.

"Takuma Saiou, I said to bring your own power, not steal Asuka's! I play O-Overcalling and special summon Elemental Hero Stratos back to the field and add Elemental Hero Heat to my hand with its effect, and then I play E-Emergency Call to add Lady Heat to my hand, and with Hero's bond I special summon them both to the field!" Wind and fire were the elements of the day, their power flaring into the sky high above. "And now I play Heroic Noble Sacrifice, sacrificing all my heroes to switch control of one monster of lower level than their combined levels." The waves of wind and fire washed over Takuma's side of the field, and the spirits of the heroes reached out to Cyber Angel Amaterasu. She took their hand, and rejoined Asuka.

"Thanks Judai, I owe you one."

"No problem Asuka; maybe after this is over, you can pick out a restaurant for us to go to on Summer Break?"

"That's a possibility, but I've got a feeling you've got more of your turn in mind."

"You bet!" Judai then turned back to Takuma Saiou. "I now play Fusion Pass, sending the top five cards of my deck to the grave, using those as materials for a fusion summon." Judai watched the cards, and grinned at the final result. "Saiou, say hello to Elemental Hero Black Sun! And with HERO Flash, I can attack all monsters that you control once each!" The Sun, The Star, and Strength all fell before the mighty hero as Takuma Saiou took 400 points of damage, leaving him with only 600 points to Judai and Asuka's 4300. The Cycle of Fate activated once more, the sixth point lighting up with Kanda Nakamura's presence to give way to the eleventh point's Edo Phoenix and Justice; the twelfth point revealed Junko Makita and gave way to Momiji Todo of Temperance, while the eighteenth point, Kouta Hoshino's point, sent The Moon to its demise without productive effect.

Even so, even summoned in defense, both monsters were destroyed by Elemental Hero Black Sun in the very moment they were summoned. Now every point of the circle, of the Cycle of Fate was marked, filled in.

"Now I end my turn." Judai said, feeling winded for a moment, the fierceness of his heroes attack draining him as though it really had drawn from his very soul for its power.

"Well done, Judai. Well done, Asuka." Takuma Saiou chuckled a little. "Without your power, without your strength and defiance, the journey would remain unseen and unknown." The card that floated above the duelists shrank down and entered Takuma Saiou's hand. "Thanks to you, the final and ultimate power of the Light can now be awakened! Only you, only you two who are powerful enough to push me this far, could have awakened it!" The whole of the circle began to glow, as though it were a point of an even greater circle. "Behold, the transcendent member of the Arcana Force, the one that is of it and beyond it…Arcana Force 0 Through XXI, The Journey Completed!"

The Cycle of Fate began to shift, began to spin, turning like a great wheel hovering over the Earth. It condensed itself down, depositing the duelists unto the Earth, and concentrated all that it was into one fine point of Light, a mere pinprick with zero attack and zero defense. "Look above you." Takuma Saiou pointed up to the Sun, that great celestial body having reached its zenith. "As I had foreseen, this very moment shall mark the arrival of the Eternal Dawn, the awakening of the human soul." A wave of light shot out from The Journey and shattered all else on the field. "When summoned to the field, all other cards are destroyed, and to make sure that you can't interfere effects of your own, I activate Seal of the Lost World, preventing you from activating any effects that target a card in the grave." In this fashion Cyber Angel Amaterasu was unable to use its effect, and so it perished from the world.

"Furthermore, by discarding my hand, I activate The Journey's second effect, and deal damage to you, equal to your life points!" A dome of Light enveloped the field and consumed the duelists within it. Within that realm of Light, all that could be seen was Light itself, and nothing else.

* * *

"Woah, what a crazy dream." Judai was sitting up in his bed looking all around himself at his home. "I mean, why on Earth would I be dueling Takuma Saiou? He's the one who showed me the Light." Judai then looked over at the other end of the bed, and saw that Asuka had already gotten up. "Well, it doesn't really matter; Asuka's birthday is in three days, so I better start working on getting ready for it." So Judai got out of bed and went through his morning routine, concluding by putting on his red suit; he was after all an important man in the Saiou Institute, alongside Asuka, and his suit was as much his symbol as anything else. He made his way downstairs and saw that Asuka had just finished setting up their breakfast.

"Ah, just when I was expecting you Judai. Everything is ready, just like it's supposed to be." Asuka swept her arm across the meal, clad in a blue suit that perfectly expressed her features. It was a delicious looking meal, a shrimp salad with grapefruit juice, absolutely perfect for the two of them. "Take a seat, and we can get ready for our meeting with Edo and Momiji."

"Oh yeah." Judai said as he started on his breakfast. "It totally slipped my mind; I had this weird dream…I think I did anyway, all I can remember is that it was weird, and everyone was there. I'm sure of that." Judai then took a deep drink of his grapefruit juice. "Hmm, that was good!"

"Well I'm glad you liked it Judai; its important that we be at our best for the meeting; if we do as we're meant to, then Takuma and Mizuchi Saiou's life span will be extended by another fifty years." Judai smiled at the thought of it; Takuma and Mizuchi Saiou, their glorious guides in life, and with just a little help from their souls every year, their lives would be eternal.

"Boy, I couldn't even imagine how chaotic things would be without Takuma and Mizuchi; of course I won't let them down." Judai and Asuka swallowed their food and exchanged a quick kiss.

"Ah, love. It is truly marvelous, isn't it?" Judai and Asuka turned their attention to the voice, which was Fubuki Tenjouin's voice. He was accompanied by Ryoko Marufuji, who was drinking from her own personal glass. "It sure does a brother proud to see his little sister in such an important position in life."

"Your face…" Asuka said as she looked at her brother's handsome face, "Wasn't it…"

"No Asuka, I can assure you that my face has never been any more magnificent than it has been now."

"He's right you know." Ryoko said as she finished her drink. "He's always been a man who shined brightly all his life, without exception."

"Boy, you said it Ryoko!" Judai said as he got up and gave Ryoko a pat on the shoulder. "Come on Asuka, I can tell we're supposed to have a big group hug!" But as Judai turned back to Asuka, he could see that she was uncertain, which made no sense; everyone knew the truth now, everyone knew what was supposed and how they were supposed to fulfill their fates, so how could there be confusion? Asuka walked up to her brother and stared into his eyes.

"Brother, tell me; what happened in my first year at Duel Academia?"

"What else? You won the Whim of Fate tournament and won Judai's heart as well. You know that, everyone knows that."

"No…there was more Fubuki. What happened to your face? You were hiding it for a very long time."

"What?" Now Fubuki was becoming nervous, this conversation was not the one he knew he'd be having with his sister this morning. "Why would I hide my face? I've always been an inspiration, that's what I've always believed, always and ever."

"Asuka, what's wrong?" Ryoko said as she placed her hands on Asuka's shoulders. "Do you need to see Takuma and Mizuchi? It still happens every so often, but it always works out, always." In that moment, Judai suddenly felt an impulse, a strange sensation that he could never remember feeling before. Even so, he had to ask.

"Ryoko, did you ever give up the title of Kaiser back at Duel Academia?" Ryoko released Asuka from her grasp and faced Judai.

"Of course not Judai; every year of mine at Duel Academia was perfect, and I always won. I should shudder to think of what I'd be if I ever lost."

Asuka looked intently at Ryoko and at Fubuki, and then turned to Judai. "I get it now…I see how this works; anything at all the least bit dark can't survive, so it can't be remembered. Judai, answer me this; what happened that made you realize you were in love with me."

"That's easy Asuka…" He couldn't remember; he could remember every happy moment of their lives together, how they met, how they bonded, when they graduated and when they got married, but for the life of him he could not recall the moment when he realized just how much Asuka Tenjouin meant to him. "I don't know…it should be such a bright memory…but…"

"There was darkness to it too." Ryoko and Fubuki vanished, along with the home that Judai and Asuka lived in; they now stood in the empty void of white. "Life can't be just Light and joy; if not for my brother being tortured by Daitokuji for his experiments, he would never have realized that he was more then just a star."

"And Ryoko…she was terrified of losing, because it never happened to her. But once it did, she was able to realize that it didn't ruin her, and she left to remake herself into the true Kaiser of Duel Academia."

"And it's not just them." All around Judai and Asuka appeared the visions of their friends and family. "All of us, we all endured great trials to become who we are. The idea that we could still be ourselves and forget half of everything that happened that happened to us…"

"Its not much better then just lobotomizing or killing us, is it?" Darkness began to contest the Light. And in that moment, Judai realized his dream was more then that. "But the duel…we lost Asuka."

"No Judai; we've got exactly one last chance, so we have to make it count." The two duelists nodded and clasped their hands together, affirming that they would not give in to the false temptation of Takuma Saiou's fabricated world.

* * *

The dome of Light faded, and Judai and Asuka's life points had been reduced to zero. But the duel was not yet over. "How?" Takuma Saiou said, anger flowing through his veins. "You've lost, so how!?"

"My trap card, the one you destroyed…its name was Final Miracle, and if it gets destroyed, then Judai and I get one more turn to act; if we can't defeat you before your next standby phase, then we will lose the duel for real and nothing can change that." Asuka swept her arm out, lending power to her declaration. "But I know that we will win, and overcome your final monster!"

"Absurd! Arcana Force 0 Through XXI is a perfect monster; if you try to remove it from the field with a card effect, all I have to do is remove an Arcana Force monster from the grave to keep it on the field. And if you should try to destroy it by battle, all I have to do is remove two Arcana Force monsters in my grave to negate your attack and destroy your monster; the Journey has been completed, the final reading of the cards has taken place, and it is too late for either of you to change anything!"

"Well," Judai said, his tone conversational in contrast to Takuma's ranting, "We'll just have to see, now won't we?" He then turned to Asuka. "Go on Asuka, its your turn."

"Right." Asuka drew her next card, and without even looking at it set it. "All right Judai, draw the winning card."

"Don't be foolish! I can see the card that will appear in Judai's hand, and it is only Winged Kuriboh Level Ten, useless by itself!"

"Oh yeah?" Judai drew his card. "Well, it looks like you're right Takuma."

"You see! Neither of you could draw the winning card, for there is no card that can defeat me! My soul is the soul of millions, blazing with its own Light like the Sun itself! I am the visionary that brings truth and peace, and none have the power to stop me."

"Trap card activate." Asuka called out as a chill wind swept across the field. "Sure Shot; by removing a level ten monster in my grave that had been properly summoned to the field from play, I can choose a card in my partner's deck and add it to their hand." Cyber Angel Amaterasu appeared and smiled beneficently upon the two duelists, leaving a shining blessing for them both before disappearing again. Asuka smiled a cool grin. "You were almost right Takuma; neither of us could draw the winning card, but that's because neither of us had to."

"Thanks Asuka." Judai said as he added Miracle Fusion to his hand. "You see? We were able to combine our powers, without having to give up anything at all."

Takuma Saiou was struck silent, his voice abandoning him as he saw the unraveling of the fate that he'd worked so hard towards. He stared at his opponents, who now seemed as giants to him.

"We remembered where we came from, and how we overcame adversity before." Asuka said as she carried on the train of though that Judai had left off for her. "We refused to run from it, or let it control us through fear of it; we will control our own lives, with our own wills, and no one else's!"

"So here we go; with Miracle Fusion, I remove Elemental Hero Earth, Kuriboh, and Winged Kuriboh in our graveyards from play, and fusion summon Elemental Hero Heaven and Earth!"

The shining magnificence of the final hero of the Earth dwarfed the false light of The Journey. "And now by discarding Winged Kuriboh Level Ten, I negate your monsters effect, leaving it vulnerable to attack." Together, Judai and Asuka called out, "Left Wing Cleansing!" And indeed with its left wing Heaven and Earth stripped The Journey Completed of its power, leaving it little then an empty shell, like a broken light bulb.

"Heavenly Justice!" Judai and Asuka yelled out in one voice, and the hero answered their call, striking with the full and hot-blooded conviction of those who summoned it. His fists went through the tiny little monster and struck Takuma Saiou across his entire body, finishing the duel. The Osiris Red dorm returned to normal, and everyone inside could be seen again, revealing just how crowded it had become. Freed from their paralysis, everyone began to make their way out of the dorm in an orderly fashion, until everyone was brought out into the open.

"My future…" Takuma Saiou muttered as he was carried outside, unable to move of his own volition. "My redemption…am I doomed to forever suffer from my weakness?" Once outside, he saw the him that was a child, and the him that was an adolescent; he reached out to them, desperately, "I was too weak then to save myself, much less anyone, much less Mizuchi…!"

"Brother." Mizuchi stood before Takuma and took his hands in her own. "We've been running, from each other and from our pasts; we tried to control the lives of others in an effort to control our own…and only now do we see what was to become of it."

"But Sister, your hands, your soul…my weakness, and the World's corruption, they condemned you…"

"No brother; any condemnation I've earned is my own, we bear no sins but our own and no one else's." Mizuchi then let go of her brother's hands and faced Edo Phoenix. "My brother and I have realized the truth, and we know that there is no room for mercy for the crimes we've committed. Name your punishment, Edo Phoenix." The crowd was silent as they watched Edo Phoenix weigh everything, observe all elements of the truth from every angle, trying to see all things in heaven and earth that he could.

"…Principal Samejima." Edo said, not turning his face at all towards her, "Have you begun work on filing the paperwork for a new Osiris Red professor?"

"As it so happens, Mr. Phoenix, things have been rather hectic as of late, so I've not had the time."

"Good." Edo with an honest and open smile as he extended his hand to the Saiou siblings. "I believe the most challenging and therefore most worthwhile method of redemption for you two, would be to stay here and help teach the students who've yet to come the lessons that you've learned from your mistakes."

"Edo…" Takuma said, gaping with shock… "But your parents…Maria Croix…"

"I know in my heart that my parents would wish me to act wisely, and not out of vendetta. And Maria Croix, she has her own path to walk, her own redemption to seek." He then turned to Mizuchi's apostles, the four that she'd rescued. "And you four, you're free to pursue your own lives again. Know that you will always be able to call upon Duel Academia if you need assistance or support in anything."

"Mr. Phoenix…" Professor Chronos said after a long silence had passed, "Are you sure you are not being excessively magnanimous?"

"I'm sure; the extremes of Light and Darkness, neither of these things can lead to a proper end." Edo once more focused his attention to Takuma and Mizuchi, once more brought his hand out. "Takuma, Mizuchi, I know the truth, and that is why I believe that you two can rise above what you thought you once were, and we can all be the friends that we knew we were all along."

Takuma looked into his sister's eyes, and placed his Tarot deck in her hands. She then took her mirror, and put in his; they both proceeded to destroy the tools of their craft, shattering and tearing away.

"If we can no longer see our future…" Mizuchi said, smiling for the first time in years.

"Then we shall simply have to make it with our own hands." Takuma said with honest tears rolling down his face, and together they took Edo's hand, accepting his offer.


	50. Chapter 50

**The Best is Yet to Come…**

"Maria Croix, you are free to go." She looked up at the police officer, glaring at him so as not to be caught off guard when the other shoe dropped. "Look, I've got a busy day, so get out of here." Maria eyed the man as she got up from the ground, but despite her suspicion, there was no reprisal, no feint that led to a pretense of attack. As the officer escorted her down the hall of the detention center, she saw just how many other people were being held in addition for herself; there certainly hadn't been nearly so many when she'd been sent there by Edo and Mokuba.

"You weren't kidding about it being busy around here." Two more officers filed past them without acknowledging them at all. "So, to who do I owe this fortune?"

"I was told the information would be among your effects. You'll have to wait until you get them back if you want your answers." So Maria walked, and as she did she studied the officer; he seemed a haggard man, like he hadn't been able to get a proper shave in days, nor a decent night's sleep. A quick sniff, and Maria wouldn't say that he'd had a proper shower in as long either. And yet somehow his eyes seemed vigilant, determined.

"I take it things haven't been going very well lately."

"Meh, you heard about all those Association of Light people? Well, seems like some of them couldn't take the whole thing disbanding very well; its been a nightmare sorting out the real loons from the opportunists, but that's what we've got to deal with, you know? The conviction rate's so high as it is, we don't need more criminals clogging the system then are necessary."

"I see." Maria silently contemplated the man's words, what they implied about the world and about him, until she finally reached the pick-up point.

"This is for you." The woman at the counter said as she handed her a small suitcase and a letter. Maria took her belongings and entered the changing room; there, she opened the letter, and saw that it was from Edo Phoenix.

"Greetings, Maria Croix; I apologize for not coming in person, but I've missed so much of my homework that I simply can't afford to take any more days off."

"Shit, if that were the worst of my problems…" Maria muttered as she read the letter.

"There are just a few points that I want to make clear to you regarding why I've made the decision I have with regards to your freedom. First of all, I haven't forgiven you for what you did, and I don't think I ever will. You are someone I honestly have no desire to ever see again, and I'm sure that you feel the same. Even so, the fact is that your life and your fate, is far larger and of much greater scope then that event in my life. Furthermore, I've struggled for some time on the matter of what to do about my friend Takuma Saiou, especially given the role he had played in both our lives; I extended to him the hand of forgiveness and offered him the chance to redeem himself, and I know that for Justice, real Justice, to be had, I can't choose to forgive my friend and condemn my enemy."

"I see…trying to play yourself like some sort of Christ figure are you?" Even so, Maria continued to read the letter.

"I also want you to understand that I do not pity you; I don't know how well I can convey this in words, but hopefully my decision can back that sentiment up. In any event, because of what you've done, I was forced to face a microcosm of your life, having to face abandonment and betrayal, both real and self-imposed. Thus, while I know it may seem presumptuous to you, I do feel that I can understand you in a real, immediate fashion. And when you believe that you know someone, connect with them no matter how small and tenuous that connection may be, it becomes difficult to act harshly and arbitrarily against them."

"You're right about one thing…you only experienced a fraction of my hell, Edo Phoenix." But still, the letter went on.

"Therefore, my final decision is very simple; rather then force you into a jail system that has little interest in redemption, I've decided to request a favor of CEO Shiori Tsukasa, and extend to you a position of employment."

"…What?" So far as Maria Croix could see, this was beyond the pale; she murders his parents, and he gets her a job at the scene of the crime?

"It seems that the current CEO has herself engaged in unethical activity in her youth, to say the least, and the forgiveness of a certain Duel King meant a lot to her. We've come to the conclusion that of everyone in the world, she is best suited to help you heal and recover from your ordeal, so that you can fulfill your own role in life. If you choose to accept this offer, there will be an escort from Industrial Illusions ready to pick you up outside the Domino City Detention Center. If not…then I will accept your decision, for there is nothing more I can or wish to do in your life.

"Sincerely, Edo Phoenix."

Maria Croix sat there for a long time in the changing room, simply looking at the letter; was this offer…what would it really mean for her to accept it? All her life she'd been trying to take control, to escape the manipulations of those around, the people at the Underground League and Takuma Saiou, all using her to their ends without regard for her own life…so what would make this different?

"…Well, I suppose if it just leads me back to where I was, I can always break out again." Maria Croix put on her own clothes and left the Detention Center. The escort was a short woman, seated in the driver's seat of a limo. As she got into the passenger seat, she was offered a drink, and she accepted.

It was a very good drink, and Maria Croix supposed it could serve as a good sign of things to come.

* * *

"Oh man, today was exhausting!" Judai said as he entered his room in the Osiris Red Dorm, where Rei was at her desk reading her assigned text book. "Just to let you know Rei; being a hero does not get you out of assignments, tests, or homework…hey what's that?" Judai pointed to a letter on her desk. "Does someone have an admirer?" He said with a snicker.

"If someone does, I'm sure Asuka will be putting her foot down shortly." Rei grinned as she turned the letter over, revealing that it was addressed to Judai. "It was delivered directly here just after I got back from class, so whoever it is must have wanted you to read it as soon as possible." Rei then handed the letter over to Judai and made her way out of the room. "I'll let you have your privacy for that." And so she shut the door behind her.

"Huh. Well, better open it up." And so Judai tore open the envelope and saw that it was from Hayako!

"Hey Judai," The letter started off, "I hear that you and your friends managed to defeat the Association of Light, and from the data that we've been able to get from Kaiba Corp, it looks like my cards were a big help! I know some of them were a bit situational, but I had a feeling that that was what you needed, you know? I'm just glad I could help out in my own way; it made me feel like I was dueling alongside everyone all at the same time, and that's a really nice feeling."

"Oh yeah, and not too long ago the CEO got a new personal assistant; I have to admit, I was really nervous around her at first, given what I saw her do and everything…but the CEO's been working really hard with her, and It seems like Maria's really trying to turn herself around. So yeah, things have been pretty hectic around here as of late, but even so I'm really happy to be here, doing what I'm doing. And I want to thank you for being the one to help me get here.

"Your Friend, Hayako Maeda."

Judai smiled as he put the letter away in his desk, happy to see that things were working out for everyone.

* * *

"Hey Asuka!" The letter from Fubuki said as Asuka read it. "I know, I know, I should have contacted you and mom and dad earlier, but you have to understand that things have been pretty busy for me too; true, I wasn't involved in that whole, 'save human freedom and will from a crazed cult-leader' thing that's been going on, but that's not because I didn't want to. The fact of the matter is that its taken me all year to find Ryoko…and we've had a lot of catching up to do."

"I can just imagine the stories you'd have to tell, brother." Asuka said with a sigh as she tried to imagine how many hearts of either gender her brother must have broken as he made his way across the world.

"See, as cliché as it is, Ryoko ended up in Tibet, but not one of the big famous monasteries; heck, its actually kind of a weird place, 'cause it turns out it was established by Buddhist Monk who was really into…yep! You guessed it, Duel Monsters! Yeah, there aren't too many monks here, but they're all really big on contemplating the meaning of each and every card and how the whole 'remove from play' mechanic is a metaphor for escaping the cycle of karma or something like that. I don't know that Ryoko is really taking all of what they talk about all that seriously, but its still really incredible all the same."

"More things in Heaven and Earth…you didn't know the half of it, Hamlet." Asuka said as she mused on the oddity of it all, of how vast the world was and how much was going on at all times, everywhere.

"She's made a lot of progress I think; she seems to have let go of a lot of guilt about everything that happened last year, but there's still that nagging doubt, you know? I sure know; it took me a long, long time to overcome what happened to me, and what I did to you, my sister…it really helped a lot, how patient you were with me, just knowing that you didn't hate me meant the world to me. And now that I'm here, I'm going to remind Ryoko every day that I'm still her friend, and I always will be."

"Oh, and by the way; she's really, really proud of Shou. You should let the little guy know, it might just be the boost of confidence he needs to get himself a girlfriend!"

"A real one track mind, huh Fubuki?"

"Anyway, sometime during your third year, I'm going to make sure that Ryoko and I come visit, let you see for yourself how we're doing."

"With love, your big brother, Fubuki 10Jouin!"

"…I swear, if you didn't write to mom and she complains to me about it, I'm going to make sure you pay for it." Asuka said with a cheery smile on her face, carefully putting the letter away in her desk, taking care to make sure no creasing occurred.

* * *

"Everyone, it has been once more a very eventful year." Principal Samejima said as she addressed the entire student body. Behind her stood Professor Hibiki, Professor Chronos, and both of the Saious; it seemed that after so many years of being apart, they decided to share the post of Osiris Red Professor and shoulder the responsibilities thereof together. "We have all of us had to learn a lot about who we are, and what it is we seek out of life."

"Some of us have had to achieve a new perspective on our goals in life, and what we are willing to do to achieve them." Misawa and Momiji thought about Sayuri and Yumi and how they left together to forge ahead and not let their goals control them.

"Some of us have had to learn to set our own standards, and worry so much about the impositions of the outside world." Momoe and Rei thought about Kouta and Tarou, how they decided to band together and rediscover their place in the world.

"But no matter what lessons you've learned this year, there is one more that I must take absolute care in making sure that you understand the importance thereof; you are the future. Your shining wills are what will defy all absolutes, and guide the world to a better tomorrow, not through imposition, but by example. You all have within you the potential to show the world the strength that comes not just from yourself, but from everyone that you have competed with and conflicted with; to stand apart, and to stand together, at all times, is the most important thing in life of all. It is as they say, 'no man is an island', and we must remember to respect all those around us, and to acknowledge that their wills and desires are as valid as our own."

"But lest you become disheartened by the importance of this lesson…let me remind you that you've all made me very proud this year; regardless of what role you played, no matter which side you were on, you were all integral to the successful resolution of this year's events. None of this could have been possible if even one of you were out of place, out of time. For though a standard duel is one on one with rare exception, it remains the case that no one duelist can handle the weight of every duel themselves; such a burden on a lone duelist, proclaiming them a sort of 'chosen one' and expecting them to take care of everything themselves, would be an irresponsible act of the highest order."

"And I know that I have no fear or worry about this at all with you; you are all of you highly determined duelists, and having been through all that you have been, there is not a one of you who would ever give up on yourself, ever. Because you all have those in your life, your friends, your family, your comrades, and even your significant others…with them by your side, you will always have the power to stand up for yourselves and for your friends, and that is in the end all that I can ask of you."

"With that said, have a happy summer break, and I look forward to seeing you all again next year!"

Everyone began to file out of Duel Academia, getting ready to grab their things and head on home for the break. And in the hustle and bustle of it all, Judai and Asuka ended up next to each other, and had a quick and quiet conversation.

"You worried about that power that Takuma was talking about?" Judai asked.

"Nope; no matter what it is, we've proven ourselves more then ready for it."

* * *

"Echo?" The young man said as he looked at the empty, yet chaotic environment all around himself. "Echo, where are you?" He said with frantic nervousness, his eyes twitching in response to even the slightest sign of Echo's possible response.

"You don't need to worry." A calm voice called out from a coil of Light and Darkness. "She is where she always was, as are you." An image opened up in the sky, allowing the young man to see himself in his bed, his arms around Echo and hers around him. "I simply wanted to speak with you privately, Amon Garam; I considered having a letter written, but who knows who could have intercepted it, and spoiled the plot before it was ready?" The voice chuckled, and somehow it seemed familiar to Amon.

"I see." Amon adjusted his glasses, a gesture he immediately recognized as useless given that neither he nor his environment nor even the voice were corporeal. "And to who or what do I owe this honor, of the sanctum of my dreams being invaded?"

"My identity is one I shall reveal if you agree to work with me; if not, I will simply depart, and you will have no way of knowing that this was anything other then a particularly vivid dream. But I can tell you why it is I have chosen to speak with you first." The environment began to change, reflecting a vast and fertile field. "I've been watching the dreams of many people for some time, and of all of them, yours is the purest that I've found."

"I'm not sure that I would describe my dreams in such a fashion." Jewels began to line the ground. "For while Cogito Ergo Sum may hold true, my thoughts of myself as a king do not make me one."

"True." There was a definite sense of amusement, of an invisible smile. "Yet I know that you are among top percentile of human potential in many fields, and therefore you deserve this chance to become the King that you know you are, a Supreme King whose wisdom can guide humanity to a glorious new era!"

"…I will concede that this offer of power and authority is a tempting prospect, but I've read far more then enough stories to know how a deal with a devil turns out; how exactly would you assure me that no such event would transpire in our arrangement?"

"You are indeed wise and shrewd; exactly the quality that led me to choose you." There was a thunderous sound, like a giant was clapping in the distance. "Yes, I think you will do quite admirably in the upcoming battle against Duel Academia."

"Duel Academia?" Amon Garam expressed his confusion with a cocking of his eye. "Surely if you've been observing me, then you would know that while I am talented in many areas, dueling is not one of them."

"That is true…but at the same time, you yourself don't have to be." Echo suddenly appeared, clad in the finest armor and wielding a pair of great swords. "In an odd inversion of scenario, she is your knight, and by combining your genius and planning to her will and power, there will be precious few who can oppose you."

"I see…she would need practice, but there is time, and I have the money…yes, our dreams would be simplicity itself to fulfill under such circumstances." Echo strode up to Amon, and he smiled at her. "Yes, I can think of no better way to fulfill our dreams."

"Good. Now that you've accepted, I can reveal to you who I am." The veil of Light and Darkness parted, giving way to the man who'd been addressing Amon Garam.

"You?" He began to laugh as the man nodded in the affirmative. "For a moment I worried who would be crazy enough to take on Duel Academia, and now I can only ask if Duel Academia is crazy enough to take you on!" Amon Garam then awoke to the sound of his own laughter, knowing that this was only the beginning, and soon all of the world would know the peace that came of his reign.

The best, was yet to come.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, that makes two years down, one to go! This has been quite the ride, with plenty of ups and downs, and if you've indulged me this far, I can only hope that it has been worth your time. Like last time, I would like to make a few comments.

So, first thing I want to say is thank you to everyone who took the time to review the story; Immortal Fallen Radiance, Troublesome Dragon, Shaed-Da-Dingo-Jinchuuriki, Hero Slayer, Ower, Dabrikishaw, Shippu7810, Danni Lea, The Darkness Grows Within, mwaetht, Transient Lion, Infinite Freedom, and a special mention to an anonymous reviewer who would every so often point out some error or other that I'd made, prompting me to address the mistake in question. That's the kind of review that I need most of all.

Second, Chapters 14 and 16? Those were big mistakes of mine, they really were. I allowed my own personal vitriol to take control of me and compel me to write screeds that should have been kept as livejournal posts and not infect the integrity of the story. Rest assured, I will not engage in such juvenile antics like that ever again.

Third, the character Momiji was one I had in mind for a while, and I figured that this was a good opportunity to introduce him. The thing is, I wanted a transgendered character, if for no other reason then to reflect the fact that if you have hundreds of people selected at random, at least one of them is going to be transgendered. At the same time, I also didn't want Momiji's character to be all about this fact about him, for it to wash out the other elements of his personality and characterization. Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure how good a job I did, and I can't help but worry that I managed to express some Unfortunate Implications with him without realizing it. Still, if given the chance to go back and do it over again, Momijji would still be a transgendered Female-to-Male individual.

Fourth, the apostles were loosely inspired by the four duelists that Mizuchi had following her in the anime. Personally, I found that part of the series to be rushed and a lot of potential, especially just who the heck were these kids following Mizuchi around and where did they get their powers from, was left by the wayside. So I decided to make them more prominent characters, with individual back-stories and motivations, making sure to keep them connected to the original characters one way or another, because those are the people you really want to read about, right?

Fifth, Takuma and Mizuchi Saiou are changed mostly by one little fact; no Light of Destruction/Ruin. I generally prefer stories that don't involve Giant Space Fleas From Nowhere, as human characters are much more grounded and real to me. By keeping the focus on the Saiou siblings, their relationship with each other and the things they do to try and deal with the difficulties and challenges in their lives, I think it makes for a better story than "Rawr, I am evil space radiation, and I'm going to destroy the world!!!"

And sixth, Judai is not super powered chosen one in this story, which means that the other characters are better able to make material contributions to the story and the struggle against the Association of Light. Again, I've got this big cast of characters to draw upon, I'd like to see them all get their chance to shine and not just leave it all to one guy.

Well, that's that. I'll be taking my time on the third and final story, Year Three: The Trial of the Heart, so it'll be a while before I start posting it. One thing I will say; I don't plan on having as much dueling in the next story as I've had in the past.


End file.
